GROWING POPULARITY

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 274, 20 November 1935, Page 12

GROWING POPULARITY

Dorset Horn Meeting With Favour CLAIMS OF THE BREED Since Mr C. C. Laver introduced the Dorset Horn breed of sheep to Hawke’s Bay, considerable interest has been taken in this breed, and, although no new flocks have been started as yet, the results achieved will most likely influence farmers in their future decisions. In Australia the breed is highly spoken of, and a Hawke’s Bay farmer, who has been following the progress of the Dorset Horn, he forwarded the following extract Iron: an Australian publication : For early maturity tho Dorset Hon is unsurpassed. Ewes of the breed aiprolific producers, capable of holdin; their own with any other sheep in thi respect. The flesh of the Dorset lamis of the highest quality. These an the principal claims which fanciers o tho breed make for the Dorset Horn and they can be substantiated fully. The Merrindie stud at Giles Corner (S.A.), owned by Mr TV. S. Kelly, was founded in 1920. Mr Kelly set out t< develop a stud flqck true to the besi type, making for low-set and early maturing qualities. At different times four leading sires were imported, al! bred by Mr Alfred Johnson, the principal Dorset Horn breeder in England. Two of these importations have proved to be most prepotent sires. Symondsbury 26-4 was one, and most of the beautiful matrons of tho flock trace back to this ram. Symondsbury 410, equally true to type and perhaps even lower-set, was the other. The Merrindie type is now well established. For years the stud has been a consistent prize-taker at tho Adelaide and Melbourne Royal Shows. Last year Mr Kelly exhibited a splendid team of ewes which were widely praised for their conformity and even'ness. The team accounted for Ithe champion, and most of the first and second prizes at both the Adelaide and Melbourne Royal Shows. Merrindie rams have been used in most of the well-known Dorset studs of Australia.

“While the fat lamb industry thrives,” said Mr Kelly, “the position of the Dorset is secure. Its fast growing and early maturing qualities mark out the breed for notice. When the conditions favour the production of the prime lamb the Dorset will always be wanted. Other breeds for other qualities, but the Dorset for the production of prime lamb early.” The well-conducted experiments at Roseworthy College have shown also that the Dorset progeny are the fastest growers. For one set of experiments a few years ago 20 crosses were used. The lambs were dropped in May, and were weighed each fortnight after the first week in August. When weighed at 14 weeks, according to a report of the experiments, the whole of the progeny of the Dorset ram crossed with the Border Leicester-Merino ewe averaged 79.771 b., whereas the highest average weight from , the cross of any other breed of ewe at tho same date was 70.95ib.

Weight, however, is not the only consideration. It is possible i'or a lamb to be bulky and bony, but without superior flesh. To hold its place among the best the lamb must bo in prime condition and ripen early. Here, again, tho results of the Roseworthy tests are worthy of note. “Under the lest it was found that the Dorset crosses were ready, no matter which ewo the ram was used upon, distinctly before the progeny of any other breed of ram used on similar ewes.’’ Then we come to the fecundity of the Dorset. Mr Kelly states that it is a common thing tor 150 per cent, of lambs to be reared from a Dorset flock. Some flocks have much higher percentages. Mr Alfred Johnson (Eng.) ■wrote: —“A friend of mine sold 100 ewes, and the buyer marketed from them 193 iambs—9B had twins. One season I had'33 triplets; in one day we had 13 lambs from four ewes, ail alive.” Nor is it difficult to establish the contention that the Dorset stands for high quality meat. Returning to ltoseworthy experiments for substantiation we find that, although tho Southdowns topped all breeds for the percentage of first-class carcases, “tho Dorset came out splendidly—63 per cent, ot the Dorset-Merino cross went into the first grade, and all the remainder went into the second grade, while 76 per cent, of the lambs by the Dorset from the Leicester-Merino ewes were classed as first grade and all the remainder second grade.”

The breed has been in Australia for half a century, but until comparatively recent years it has been used sparingly. In 1923 there were only eight registered flocks. Now there are about LOO.