GRADING WITH MERINO RAMS

Otago Witness, Issue 3611, 29 May 1923, Page 10

GRADING WITH MERINO RAMS

Although we cannot in verity in the Dominion of New Zealand boast of our merino sheep carrying a type of wool comparable m fineness with tne Commonwealth's best, we are satisfied that our high country sheep-owners do market a good class of merino wool. These same nigh lands were before the birth of the frozen meat industry carrying a ckt®s of sheep which were well suited to them. Wool returns, however, at one time barely sufficed to pay the rent of the grazing lands. Meat, on the other hand, became, when exported in a frozen state, a marketable commodity at Dome. Our merino men desired to participate in the wealth coining to the Dominion for lamb and mutton carcases gotten by British breeds of sheep—crossbreds (merino-long wools; mated with Komney Marsh, Boruer or English Leicester, Lincoln, or Down rams. They looked around for a sheep combining the activity and hardiness of the merino with a frame not so very dissimilar to the paddock sheep, and located the New Zealand Corriedale. This sheep, evolved by one of our earliest sheep-breeders with a blend of the low land arid high country sheep, just about answered tbe desired purpose. The Corriedale was tried out in the fastnesses of the merino country. It is not our purpose to discuss tho question whether this great brefed conquered all of our New Zealand high lands. It climbed high, but there are limits as to the heights where this breed will “do” as well as the old-time merino. Better returns are more likely to be achieved from improved merinos rather than further assaults on lands sparsely clad with herbage and subject to snowfalls. Ranging the mountainous country opines easy to the acclimatised merinos, but spells disaster to British or crossbred sheep. In this connection it may be observed that the nresent demand for the finer wools and the offer of Colonel Stordy to import 50 Peruvian merino rams into Great Britain for experimental breeding purposes is causing much interest among sheep-owners in the Home Country. The idea in the minds of sheepbreeders is by using the merino rams to grade up the fleeces of the native sheep, especially' the breeds in the hilly parts of Scotland, Wales, and the North of England. We venture to surmise that our New Zealand Corriedales -might prove effective in improving the quality of their native sheep. Our sheep have infusion of merino blood plus the blood cf British sheep, and in addition have a carcase estemed by butchers. A conference of those interested in wool production attended recently a meeting in the West Biding at the Leeds University. The views expressed bv the chairman, Sir Daniel Hall (Chief Scientific Adviser of the Ministry of Agriculture), are of interest. He stressed the importance of conducting the experiment on scientific lines; otherwise there might be mongrelisation and groat disappointment. Their knowledge of the laws of inheritance, he said, was much more definite to-day than it was formerly, yet there was stiß a ”Ood deal of mystery surrounding it, and it was only bv means of actual demonstration that they could ascertain in what degree n articular parents passed on their qualities and characteristics to their progeny. It would therefore be a great mistake, said Sir Daniel, merely to import the rants from Peru, and not to do anything else in regard to them, and if the scheme was to he of any value to the country it must be followed up and extended over a number of years if necessary. The value of the fleece was. after all onlv a small part of the total value of the sheep, and m the Home Country the farmer was far more interested in the carcase of the animal. Whilst he urged them to increase the value of the fleece h’ all means in their power, yet they should not do this at the exnense of the sheep’s carcase. Thev had also to consider the ouestions of hardiness and constitution, and he (Sir Daniel) free uejjt.lv heard it stated that, the extraordinarily coarse, strong quality of the fleece of the black-face and Herdwick sheen was rece=sarv to the preservation of those animals. H« asked, could they retain the carcase qualities of those hill sheep and improve their fleece of. the same time without interfering with the capacity of the animals to li'-e end flourish in their natural bn hi tot.? That was one of the matters that had to be tested. In this connection we point, out that, in time for the Empire Exhibition next, rear, a iinmVr of t—nical specimens of .Australian merinos will n"rivp. These, of course, me- he utilised. Tt m.av he conjectured if Mew Zealand i= doing anything ”• the matter. Pm- acclimatised merinos if rot our Porriedslcs. might ho made known to those on the other side of the world as libel” to readily .adapt themselves ti rignrnns climatic conditions. The black faced breed of sheen, it mav be explained, concerns a breed covering the greater part of Scotland, some two millions, tbe wool of which is onlv fit to be made into carnets, according to Sir Robert. Greig (Secretary of the Board of Agriculture for Scotland). In any attempt, to improve tbe breed, so it was alleged, thev must be assured that in any cross the lamb should be sufficiently well

covered with wool to protect it in the first few days after birth, and that the general hardiness of the sheep should not fie lessened It is proposed to experiment with Scotch black-faced sheep and \\ elsh mountain sheep, and also with sheep of the Cheviot breed. In tfie course of the discussion it was staled that there was a pure merino flock of sheep in Herefordshire, this having existed since the year 1885. The Ministry of Agriculture intimated its willingness to grant a sum of money in connection with the promotion of the experiments, it being suggested that for each breed two owners should supply 100 ewes each, the Wool Research Association agreeing to receive the wool grown on the experimental flocks. What have New Zealand sheep-breeders to say regarding the project?