THE BREEDING OF STUD SHEEP.

Otago Witness, Issue 3396, 16 April 1919, Page 10

THE BREEDING OF STUD SHEEP.

The breeding of high-class stud sheep is perhaps the highest art in sheep-breed-ing. It is' certainly an attribute which cannot be attained -without a lengthy experience and close application to a thousand and one details. Some sheepbreeders never gain the necessary insight into the business which would serve them to come out on top. It is a business which, under the best conditions, calls for keen judgment says the "Live Stock Journal." There is, of necessity, a vast difference in the management of a highclass ram-breeding flock, to one which is maintained solely on commercial lines, for many different aims and methods have to be followed to achieve success. Similar principles, of course, appertain in the breeding of stud cattle, and the influence of both male and -female elements must be taken into consideration. A successful breeder must understand, in a word, the art of breeding and know how to manage a flock, and be a judge of a breed's leading characteristics. Necessarily there is. always a "waiting" period ere a flock will command the attention of graziers generally, and he is an observant and gifted individual who can place his r#ms without much trouble within a short period of commencing as a stud-breeder. First of all, he must produce the desired animals, exhibit them at shows, etc., and advertise well, and in due time will, with g'cpd management, win out. Soil and situation play a not unimportant part in breeding stud sheep, and it would be a waste of time undertaking the business on unsuitable soils. The starting of a high-class flock takes time ; . and money. Certainly one might buy out a whole flock and be right into the business, but has he the knowledge necessary to mate up the ewes as successfully as the former owner. It is doubtful. ' Better if ewes were secured from the flock favoured, of as similar a type as possible and thus form the nucleus of a flock, and grade iip by slow degrees. No hurried work will answer. It is no use troubling with ordinary ewes and expect to breed highclass rams, any more than attempting to breed a high-class Shorthorn bull from any ordinary cow. Like bull-breeding, ram-breeding is a thing apart, and it is necessary to tyrn to high-class stud sheep of the purest and best of blood, and trust that the expensive introduced sire will "nick" well with the selected ewes. It is generally considered that yearling ewes are the bast to start with, as they are usually more regular in appearance and truer to type, and have their lives before them. In'practice, however, we find that the beginner commences with draft ewes from some high-class flock which if irregular in appearance are generally sold cheap enough. There is at least a good chance that the beginner will secure at least one good crop of lambs and maybe breed a champion. The breeder wants all the luck, however, to succeed. There are some" ewes in all ram-breeding flocks which never breed a bad off-spring; and for years in succession can be depended upon to produce something of extra value in the way of bone and carriage and general style and character, and maybe well clad with the right quality of wool. So we get our prize-winning animal. Great sires have made some flocks famous, juct as they have made notable herds and will be kept as long as they are serviceable. If a man desires to breed worth while, he must be prepared for expenses in excess of that which the ordinary flock owner usually expects to incur. The dams rearing selected ram-lambs should have special attention, and the lambs encouraged to eat artificial fodder within the first four or six weeks of their lives. Ths extra feeding will give that extra development and growth so desirable, and enable a breeder to effectively dispose of all his surplus rams at satisfactory prices.