Lincoln Sheep

Southland Times, Issue 11899, 21 November 1891, Page 1 (Supplement)

Lincoln Sheep

The jLive Stock Journal of August 21et contain* an illustration of a splendid Lincoln ram, the winner of the champ.on prize at Wanganui. This ram, the property of Mr, W. WiliOD, was imported by him from the famous atud farm of the Mesirs J. E. and B. R. Kirkham, of Biscatborpp, Lincolnshire. The same journal gives the following inj tereitiDg particulars of the well-known Kirkhsm breed of Lincolns :— The name of Kirkhtm has been honcurably associated with Lincolnshire's grest;st pastoral induitry for more than a century and a quarter, A&d is still in the front rank — where it should be, and where it is likely to remain. Mr John Kirhham had an old fhek of Lincoln sheep at Hagnaby, the foundation of which traced far back into th» !ait centuiy, aud j which was at his death in 18U0 considered ; one of the beat fxtant. Mr John Kirkbam woiked haid and carefully at the improvement of the lincoln - breed of sheep, aud a eet of silver was presented to him by neighbouring breedt ru md landowners in conmderelion of the poo-J he had done for them as well as for himself, by

mproviug the chape of the «heep whilit r^ta'ninp theold ch»r»cter o? tbe fl'ece. Mr John Kirkbtm had a herd of Sborthoros of some reput?. and tke pick of his flock was brougkt 'to Bißcathorpe by bis sod, Mr Tbomat Kirkham, in 1841, where it has betn ever since. Ia his hands it made furtber greatj propreti, and became renowned for the staple, lustre, and texture of its wool over the whole world, being then of equal repute to Mr Jona^ Webb's SouthdowDS and Mr Sandy's Leicester*, which about the same time attracted general attention. Tke rams from this flock were keenly sought after and were let prirately year by year, as Bakewell, of Diskley, did kis Leicesters ; at first a ye»rly meeting of breeders waa held, after a lunckeon, in the dining room of Biecatkorpe House, and later —as numbers of visitors increased—in a tent on the lawn, where the business of the year was transacted. In 1853 [a series of annual public leitings of rami from the flock was commenced, and tbe average for that year wa« Lll 7s, that for tke next year Ll2 Bs, and for tke next Ll3 3s, As time wee ton the rams increased in value, and in 1860 |:wo two-shear sheep let for 70 gs. each, and the shearlings averaged Lls 18s ; in 1861 the general average was still higher, and in 1862 some big prices were made all along the line, thirty-six two-shear steep averaging L2O, the sixty-eight shearlings Lls 13s 6d, and the whole 128 sheep let for L 2060, or an average of Ll6 2s. As far back as 1873, Mr Thomas Ruisell of Auckland, at the annual sale, secured thirteen sheep at an average of 34 gs. each, The farms rented by the Meisrs J . B. and R, R, Kirkbam, at Biscathorpe and Gayton-le-Wold, adjoining, are over 1200 acres in extent, and are "situated on the South Wolds of Lincolnshire*. A stock of nearly 2000 working sheep is kept, and the number of ewes lambed down sometimes reaches 900. On tke occasion of a recent visit the 120 selected rams for sale were on tares, and in about half a dozen separate lots. The character of these needs no eulogy from us. They have scale and quality with the fine character of fleece which the foreign buyer want* —and he wants nothing else —with tbe masculine character, bone, and constitution wkick English breeders will insist upon having into tke bargain. The fleeces on these sheep"are of the high order for lustre, texture, and staple which made the high prices of former years, and the rams on sale this year are considered to be as good as any ever turned out. There are amongst them gome 'grand sheep, with wool of the type coveted by foreign buyers for length of staple, lustre, and density, and the rear this year has in the opinion of the owner*, never been surpassed in their recollection. Skerp from the Biacathorpe fbek have never been exhibited, to that tbe high prices realised at the yearly rales and lettings as well ss in private sales, have been due to the inherent meiit and high reputation of the flock. The Meisrs Kirkham follow their ancestors' acknowledged principles in breeding. A highlj-priced ram, purchased from outside, is put to only a few e*e! —say a score—«o that his get may be scrutiniied before be is allowed to do further good or harm to the flock. The best ewes are kept on fVrjraTs • those which have bred rams which feave woo prizes or sold for high prices are nursed long after 'hey have lost their teeth ; whilst the ram. Volunteer—which let for 160 gs. and afterwards earned L 536 on hira during the five succeeding years —was used at Bi'csthorpe for teveral years afterward*. Thii is how tke Lincolnshire lustre-wool rams are bred.