SHEEP-REARING IN NEW ZEALAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13409, 11 February 1907, Page 7

SHEEP-REARING IN NEW ZEALAND.

0 Sheep are classified by naturalists into five >> divisions, but of these we have to consider only one, the " Ovis aries," as it. is to this one that the domesticated sheep belongs. { 'When the writer was in Canada, some two years ago. he saw some sheep (the " Ovis Montana") that were originally captured wild on the Rocky Mountains, and unless he had , been told that they were sheep he would not '_ have believed it, as they carried no wool on their backs, and looked more like a t cross between a deer and a goat. The origin of our present domesticated sheep is too lengthy a subject to enter upon, but we | know from the Bible that Abel was a keeper of sheep, and in the record of the history of the .lews frequent ■ reference is • made, to sheep. The date of their introduc- ; tion into the British Isles is not. certain, but it is known to have been prior to the Roman occupation. The breeding of sheep seems to have been prosecuted with mote skill by the farmers of Great Britain than by those of any other countrv, and it. is because of this fact that, in "present dav sheepbreeding, the British stand in the front rank. In Great Britain there are about thirtv breeds of sheep, all possessing more or less distinctive characteristics. In the Australian colonies the Merino predominates. This breed originally came from Spain, and is quite distinct from any of the British breeds. Before entering upon a discussion of the merits or demerits of the English breeds that have been introduced into this colony, I should like to state the reason for so many breeds existing in the Old Land. It is due. in a largo measure, to the different physical conditions that prevail in that country. The rainfall and the nature of the soil have an important influence on the various breeds of sheep. Put a Southdown on the rich swamp lands of Lincolnshire, and he would very soon become unprofitable; similarly, the Lincoln would soon cease to flourish on the chalk downs of Essex. We see from this the absolute necessity of every farmer using the breed of sheep "best, suited to the soil and climatic conditions of his farm. Some years ago an animated discussion took place among the different shoopbreoders as to which breed was the best. Each farmer stood by his favourite breed, and, naturally. each thought his choice was the best. While the controversy was at its height a large sheepbreeder wrote a letter, pointing out that the secret of the whole matter was to get the breed best suited to the soil and climate of the locality in which each farmer lived. This matter of climatic conditions applies to New Zealand almost the same as it does to Great Britain. The difference is that in the latter country it, is more profitable to grow mutton, whilst in New Zealand wool is our staple industry. Any sheepbreeder who has visited' the shows in the Old Land must have noticed that the English farmer does not bestow upon the fleece the same care that, we do in the colonies. As a matter of fact Bakewell, tho founder of the modern Leicester sheep, almost entirely neglected the fleece and bestowed all his genius upon the carcase. The Leicester sheep we breed now is a different type from that bred in Great, Britain. The English Leicester that we have here, taking him altogether, is the most useful sheep for crossing with other breeds, especially with the Merino. In my estimation a young farmer who does not know the breed of sheep most suitable for his land will go less astray by using an English Leicester ram than by using one of any other breed. The drawback to all long-woolled sheep is < that the taste of consumers of mutton has changed during the last few years. At one • time the fattest and biggest carcase was most , in favour arnonar the miners and mechanics i of England. Now this kind of meat is at a discount, and the small carcase with plenty of lean meat is in demand. The difficulty of shipping carcases of the latter description is that, when they are thawed out, , they become dark in colour, and have a very unpalatable appearance. Tho Hampshire and Oxford Downs are breeds noted for the quality and quantity of their lean meat, and are much in favour among the consumers of Great, Britain. Their carcases, however, are considered too large and heavy for the frozen meat trade. The Southdown and Shropshire possess ideal carcases for freezing, and produce the best fat lambs when mated with three-quarter-bred ewes. Unfortunately their wool . is very light and not much in demand. ] The Border Leicester is a splendid mutton 1 sheep, and does well in a wet and cold cli- ] mate, but. like the English Leicester, is in- - dined to be too fat for the English market, , and its fleece is even lighter than that of tho i English Ix'icester. ( The Lincoln grows a very heavy fleece of 1 coarse wool, and lias a larger proportion of lean meat than have the Leicestors. The f drawback to tho lambs is that they are slow J in coming to maturity, and when they have J. reached that stage are too large for' export. i The Romney Marsh, like the Lincoln, is s slow in maturing, and tho fleece is not as t heavy as it might be. It is said to be im- ( ' mune from footrot, and, consequently, is a a . good sheep for swampy land. ' Of lato years a few Ryeland sheep have f been introduced into New Zealand, and, o from their appearance, seem to lie a breed, i of sheep capable of producing mutton and ! wool of the finest quality, and breeders who " have tried them say there is no sheep like a „ Ryeland ram for getting fat lambs. They ( . are also immune from footrot. The fleece is t rather light, but no doubt, can be improved t in our dry climate. P From the above it will be seen that, all the English breeds have some defect, anil ( fi do not exactly fit our colonial requirements. ~ The question is: "Is it. possible by a pro- i cess of selection to produce a breed of sheep ll of fixed type, so that that breed will bo uni- c form and true in character and fill our re- I ; inurements as to wool and carcase?" I lie- " lieve that, such a sheep can be brought, out. ', I refer to the halfbred sheep, first cross y between a longwool and a Merino. The v latter is a splendidly wool led sheep, bur its t carcase is almost worthless for freezing, and n it. is about the slowest fattener of any 8 ' breed. Sheen-breeders are gradually re- e placing the Merino with the halfbred, or E Corriedale. This class is found to be a stir- j, cess even on the highest country. Another p advantage is that tho cull ewes are sought ti after by farmers for fat lamb purposes. Experience proves that either the halfbred * or Corriedalo ewe is the most profitable " sheep a farmer can have year in and year f out. This breed inherits from the Merino j, weight and fineness of fleece, and from the n longwool the length of staple, symmetry of © carcase, and early maturity. Tho mutton, too, possesses about the right, proportion of 'j fat. and lean meat. Halfbred wool, over a ° series of years, will be found to realise a f much higher price than the wool from any „ breed. Already several flocks of Cor- 1, riedales have been established in New Zea- t] land, with a large amount of success. Judges stipulate that this breed must bo inbred * halfbred five times. They also stipulate that * there must bo a purebred Merino on one side and a purebred longwool of any breed n on the other. These crosses, although rather j, confusing, are quite right, and will meet the d requirements of the district in which they li are reared. To start a Corriedalo flock my idea would be to use with the Merino either the Lincoln or the Romney for the rich lands of the North Island, tho Border Leicester in tho colder and wetter climate of tho f South, and the English Leicester for tho c rich, dry lands of Canterbury.— 'j Withell, in the Canterbury Agricultural Col- t lege Magazine.. * <