THE IMPROVEMENT OF OUR FLOCKS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2914, 19 January 1910, Page 6

THE IMPROVEMENT OF OUR FLOCKS.

Although great improvement has taken place in the various breeds of sheep during the last quarter of a century there seems to be no reason why such improvements in our flocks should not go hand in hand witn the steady improvements' of all Other lines of agriculture. It is admitted the world over that live stock on the farm is a great conservator of fertility. It is also generally conceded that no domestic animal is more valuable in. conserving the fertility of the soil than tire sheep,’'and carefullybred' animals eat no more than those of •inferior breeding and--duality. This being the case every farmer should carefully study the quasi ion, and endeavour to improve his methods of handling his flocks. Every breeder of purebred flocks must be aware that he must study to maintain the very highest standard, for through him the breeder of crossbreds not only gets the sires to produce the good lambs, but acquires the ideals di breeding and feeding. In short, a pedigree-breeder, as a rule, gives his efforts and time for the profit the business brings him, and therefore very few breeders are so shortsighted as to palm off upon trusting purchasers the inferior animals from his flock, for by so doing be would at the same time be damaging himself and hie reputation as a breeder. Even though he might make a few pounds out of one year’s business, he would certainly be the loser in the end. For this reason, it requires no little judgment and experience to separate the culls from those that are good enough to be placed on the market or to be list'd in the building up of the breed. Breeders of the same breeds of sheep often have different ideals, and it is just as well that they should have. If they all had a single ideal, with only the one thing in mind, other important points would be neglected 1 . The general idea of the breeders of mutton sheep is an animal with a vigorous constitution, which means the greatest development of the highpriced part of the carcase, such as the leg of mutton, the loin and the rib, a ■happy medium in size for the breed with thick flesh and smoothness. Other flockowners possibly decide that their sheep are losing vigour, and getting too fine or effeminate, and they go to the former breeder for improvement along this line. The same thing is true in other points, and for this reason it is in the interest of our flocTis that all breeders have not quite the same ideal. With regard to wool, there seems plenty, of room for improvement in this direction. One has only to take a tour of inspection through the different wool stores before a wool sale is about to take place to have this forcibly impressed unon him. This year particularly the production of wool is paying handsomely, and farmers have been securing such high prices that a shortage of a penny or twopence per lb in wool value docs not appeal as strongly as it did when the price offering was 100 per cent, below what is now obtainable. It takes careful management over a number of years to secure a lot of evenlywoolled high class ewes and to keep them true to type, and greater care should be taken by selection to improve the fleece, but all the same the question every owner of sheep should ask himself is whether he has exhausted all the knowledge at his command to secure the greatest profit that he can earn with his flock. The present time is fitting to impress upon farmers the expediency for improvement in the manner in which the clip is prepared for market, and there is also room for care in breeding an even fleece of approved and valuable type. Wool-buyers are quick to decide upon the relative values of the wool under offer, and any bleeder or farmer may be. assured that-with careful attention by placing an even- clip, well prepared. upon the market lie may be assured of receiving proportionate value dependent, of course, upon the quality of his wool. For all these reasons there certainly appears to be ample room for still further improvement in our flocks and their management.