STUD SHEEP.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11670, 10 April 1916, Page 4

STUD SHEEP.

A VALUABLEjNDUSTRY. INFERIOR BREEDS MAY SPOIL IT BREEDERS WANT PROTECTION. Xew Zealand possesses an exceedingly . valuable industry in the breeding o ( stud sheep, and her name has gone around the world as the country from which the best sheep are obtainable.A Inrge amount of money has been sunk in flocks, and many breeders have dpvoted themselves to the task of perfecting their animals. The result or their efforts has been to place Xew Zealand in the foremost position among sheep-breeding countries, and every year the consignments of stud sheep to other places increase in value. There lias grown up, however, a pernicious practice, which, if not stopped, will ruin a very valuable trade. Taking advantage of the high reputation established by the genuine breeder, the breeder of inferior sorts is entering the market, and sheep are leaving these snores that in no way can he considered good animals, but yet are held up as representing tho Dominion's bes*. The result of allowing such a practice, to continue is not hard $o foresee. lo will soon blast the reputation that NewZealand's best breeders have worked hard for years to secure, and a largo .source of Income to the Dominion will be cut off. , INFERIORS CONDEMNED. At the recent annual meeting of the Sheepbreeders' Association, the president (Sir George . Clifford) referred to the extensive practice of export of sheep from the Dominion. These indifferent animals, he said, were put forth as representative sheep, and reflected on tho good work of breeders who sent good quality sheep. The matter hau been placed'before the Board of Agriculture, which liad replied that it ha« no statutory power to deal with tho matter, and suggested that the association should take action, as the Romney Marsh Association had. done. sir George remarked that the board had 1 rather missed the point. The association had no autocratic power to interI fere at the shin's side. The Romney ! Marsh Association had been quoted for work that it had not done. He thought the association should go beyond tho Board of Agriculture and approach the. with a view to stopping the export of inferior sheep. The proposal had the support of numerous representative breeders. WELL-KNOWN BREEDERS' VIEWS. On Saturdav a reporter ran across Mr C. H. Elisor, the well-known breeder of stud sheep aiid president of the Canterbury A. and P. Association, and had a chat with him on the subject. Mr Ensor naturally holds very strong views on the practice of exporting the inferior animal. He said that 2*ew Zealand was pre-eminently the country "for breeding stud sheep. It was free of all disease and the conditions ot climate and soil were extremely favourable for the breeding of excellent and superior flocks. The consequenoe -was thnt the Dominion yearly exported consignments of considerable value. The result was se/yi in the Sydney show and sales, ahd now a new field had been opened up by the exhibit at the.JSan. Francisco Exhibition. That exhibit, though not very large, had created an excellent reputation right throughout the States. As a result large and valuable consignments of stud sheep had been forwarded to America, while numerous inquiries were to hand for more. To give some idea of the value of this industry, Mr Ensor showed a credit note for twolve rams for £315, landed at) Monte Video. The University of Nevada, Reno, California, had sent for a ram ahd two ewes and had paid, for them 400 dollars (£80). A further con* signment was just landing, and thf( should serve to show how valuable th< trade was to the country.

DEMAND'FOR WHEAT AND WOOL. Since the introduction of the meat Industry, said Mr Ensor, breeders had set to work to evolve a breed that would supply not only wool, but also meat. Every country bred its sheep to suit its?lf, and New Zealand had evolved a sheep that met the changed conditions and supplied both the demand for meat and wool. That there was a. wide field open to New Zealand in America he had not. the slightest doubt. Conversations he had had with the United States Commissioners of Agriculture (Mr F. S. King and Professor 'Marshall), and also the numerous inquiries, left him convinced that an admirable trade was there. ' GOVERNMENT SHOULD TAKE ACTION. The entry of the breeder of inferioi sheep into the trade was a serious mat* ter for the whole of New Zealandwhich would soon lose it's good name an<i have the market completely gpoiled. Steps should be taken to protect, the genuine breeder from the pirate. The best means would l>e for the Government to recognise as stud sheep only thc*o which are registered in the Stud Book of the New Zealand Sheepbreeders' Association. It must be remembered that no one could prevent a man exporting any quantity or quality of sheep from, the country if ho so wished. The market was open to all, but by giving the good sheep the hall mark of quality, after inspection and registration, by the issue of certificates, foreign buyers would then know exactly what sort of animal they were dealing with. At present there was nothing but the breeder's word to give i:b<> quality of his stock. It would probably be necessary to legalise the issue of such certificates as he suggested, but the Government in the interests of the country should not hesitate to T nk- - action. During the last three month* sheep had been exported to "Western Australia. Queensland. New Sottit Wales and Victoria, and in view of the greatly increasing trade immediate representations to the Government «n the matter should be made. VIEWS OF MINISTER. FAVOURS PROTECTION PROPOSAL. On Saturday night the Hon W. D. S, , MucDonald, Minister of Agriculture, I passed through Ohristchurcli on 'im wav to Wellington, and the views of Mr ftu-nr wore placed under his notice. The Minister slated that he was entirely in sympathy witli the santiments exurcv-iHi Ijv Mr Kr.sm. Nor/ Zealand It;.;' a urea't reputation as a country that bred the finest stud sheep, and all steps should be taken to protect the good animals. He was wholly, in invour oi making all sh'-ep exported us stud <-Vieey> pass a test lofove being allowed to l?ave Now Zealand. It wks or'y ;i fair and proper thing, and he- 1 would keep the. matter in view. There could be no dcubt that when the move came from the right quarter, and the Government was approached and urged to take action, it would give the proposal very favourable consideration. ;