WILTSHIRE HORNED SHEEP.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19697, 26 January 1926, Page 4

WILTSHIRE HORNED SHEEP.

GIFT FOR THE DOMINION. PROLIFIC AND BARIjT BREEDERS. (Feom Ovk Oww Correspondent.) LONDON, December 11. Som« months ago the Wiltshire or Western Horned Sheop Society communicated with the High Commissioner and offered to present the New Zealand Government with a number of their prize i-auis and ewes. The society considered that the strain, if introduced into the Dominion and crossed with the stock there, would have a beneficial effect on th»j flocks. In writing to the High Commissioner the society maintained that their ram? would prove themselves a valuable rssat to the stocks of the New Zealand pastoralists. Though the society was of recent formation the breed was one of the oldest in the kingdom. It was remarkable for «arly fat lambs off graßS. Previous experience had proved that where the rams \vere_ crossed with the slower maturing breeds,' such as the merino, they would produce a happy combination of early meat and wool. Ii addition the breed was very prolific. As an instance of this 22 ewes roceitly threw 42 lambs. The High Commissioner forwarded tho Communication to the Agricultural Department, Wellington and the offer of th<s society has been accepted. Owing to the prevalence of foot-and-mouth disease, however, it is impossible to send live stock to the dominion at present. Carcases 'Will, therefore, be sent. Two two-tooth wethers : will be selected from a prize pen at the I Agricultural Show at Islington. Those I will be slaughtered this week, and the carI cases frozen. The skins will be prepared I by Messrs George Rock and Sons, tanners, | of Bermondsey, and the carcases and skins, | in addition to several fleeces will be sent I rtut to the Agricultural Department by the I Tainui, sailing on January 8. From these the department will be able to gain some idea of the merits of the breed. THE VALUE OF PIGS. USEFUL MEAT ANIMAL. As a market animal the pifj holds a distinct advantage of being earlier maturing than most other forms of farm livestock. The modern pig- as a rule (in U.S.A.) attains the marketable weight of 2001'b to 2251 b by the time it is sue months of age. This quick turn-over of capital is of real benefit to the producer, and has been a weighty factor in popularising the pig on the farm. It may be said also that the market recognised more merit in aged sows which are no longer of service in the herd than it does in aged females of other lines of live stock. It is true that the seedy sow is discriminated against to a certain extent, yet there is always a market ready to take her. She, therefore, is of considerable economic value, even though her period of usefulness in the breeding herd has terminated. As a producer of human food the pig ranks very high among the domestic animals, 'ihe annual consumption of meat in the United States is approximately 1701 b per capita. Of this amount more than 50 per cent, is in the form of pork. Ihere are several reasons why the pig has attained this popularity as a meat-producing animal. One is the ease with which it is cured and preserved for future use. In fact, most pork consumed is in the form of cured products. This feature is of particular benefit to the rural population since it is possible to kill and cure pork during the cooler months tor use in the summer time. The meat of the pig ranks high in palata'bility. Such tempting combinations as ham and eggs, cakes and sausages,- and pigs in the blanket have long been a source of joy to a hungry American appetite. Pork also* ranks high in nourishment. In instances where men are forced to undergo severe labour, or when extremes of cold weather are to be met, no variety of meat suits their needs so well as that from the swine carcase.