MERINO CUP COMPETITION.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXVI, Issue 145, 24 June 1902, Page 1

MERINO CUP COMPETITION.

MR C. GOULTER'S SHEEP.

In the New Zealand Farmer for March appears an article reviewing the details of the merino sheep competition of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association. " The several fleeces exhibited at the rooms of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association," says the Farmer, "are composed for the most part of wellgrown, denae wool of good colour. Very considerable difference of opinion exists as to whether the better test for the purposes of this competition would be the determining of the money value of a single fleece as at present, or to determine the average money value o£ the fleeces in the pen of each breeder who enters for the competition under the same conditions and tests as now exist. The results of "the competition just decided show that very different results would probably follow by adopting the latter plan." The Farmer goes on to give the tabulated results showing the eight highest awards under the single fleece test, and compares these with a table showing what would - have been the order of merit had the test been for the highest average value of the scoured fleeces in each competing pen. "It tha£ i anp?e?s&iat Sftder^ the singly fi««ce test only one of the"""1"-----tiife'e sheep belonging to the New Zealand and Australian Land Company was among the best eight, and that while the Company own the animal that produced the most valuable fleece, yet the pen which contained the best animal ranks only as fourth in the competition, while the owner of the most valuable pen—Mr Charles Goul* ter—came only fifth in order of merit with his best sheep under the single fleece test. In sheep-breeding uniformity in producing the best type of animal is an important matter. The closer all the animals approach to the highest type the better for the flock. In this competition the end in view is the production of the most valuable wool only, and for this purpose taking the eight pens the difference in value between the most valuable and the least valuable fleece in the order of merit of each pen is:—(The table following places Mr C. Goulter's exhibit in the first place). For this competition the Canterbury A. and P. Assotion gives a subscription cup value not less than £50, and a gold medal valued at £5. Under the single fleece test Mr Charles Goulter's sheep are not eligible for either prize, yet in this competition his pen of sheep were not only the most valuable t>f all the pens, but the animals in the pen were of the most uniform quality."