WOOL DETERIORATION.

Wairarapa Age, 23 April 1927, Page 5

WOOL DETERIORATION.

THE IMPORTANCE OF BREEDING. (To the Editor.) Sir, —In picking up “The Age” of April 14 and also of the 21st, I see that the A. and P. Association have .been discussing the wool deterioration. May I be allowed a space to give my views? In the first place, we must blame the freezing works for the best of our ewe lambs being killed and the culls kept to make up the flock, and we must know or should know that it is impossible to breed from a weed. I think it is now time that something was done to show the farmers and the runholders the mistake they are making. Another / thing—l have seen rams turned out regardless of what kind of wool they have. The only way to keep our wool • up to the standard is to draft our ewes 1% suit our rams, but I have seen rams c*>j4 with ewes that, if their •Weces weW* painted and horns put on them, would pass for goats. In my mrnd our Romney flocks in both Islands arc going back. When rams were at good prices, a lot of new breeders started studs and they were started from inferior sheep and I am sure that is another possible cause of the deterioration of wool. Mr. Jaekson thought . that Australia and the Argentine had picked the eyes out of our stud flocks. Weil, I disagree with him, for if our studs were run in a proper way we could supply the wftrld with stud sheen and. still have plenty left for our own «se. But what we want to look after is our own country, and to have our flocks properly inspected before they are allowed to sell either locallv or for export. Some years ago I drew the attention of the inspector of the Kamnev flocks in the South Island to the sort of tarns that wore offered for sale. Thev had neither bine hor carcase I also pointed emt a good many with what we call "a pig mouth.” Thev were bought because thev were ehcap not only by the small farmer, but also by the runholder, so what can vou expect to get from such rubbish}—l nm ete., "A BORDER SHEPHERD ” Masterton, April 22.