SHEEP FARMING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19828, 30 April 1927, Page 21 (Supplement)

SHEEP FARMING

A TRANSITION STATH. ■ “ sheepbreeding in New Zealand for ! the last 20 years or so has been in a • more or less transition state, and the various opinions expressed as to the most suitable breed for producing fat i lambs are evidence of this fact. The sheep in the North Island, says “Primus,” in the Pastoral Review, being mostly either Romneys or Remnev crosses, the Southdown ram upon ewes of such a type naturally gives the best results in fat lamb production. The Ryeland, which not only “nicks” well with the Romney or Romney cross, and is moreover hardy ami sound on its fret, besides being one of the best ] shaped of the mutton breeds, has of ' late years been steadily advancing in | favour for fat lamb production, but in comparison with the .Southdown its numbers are small. In the South Island there is not the same definite line of breeding adopted as in the North Island. The conditions are so much more varied and the sane* sheep will not suit all localities. Pine woollcd sheep art* required on the hill country, and on the plains both fine woolled ami coarser woollcd sheep arc to be found. In the early days of the frozen meat trade, when Merino sheep were the flock sheep on the hill stations, the eull ewes were usually mated with English Leicester rams, and the halfbreds, both wethers and maiden ewes, first gave the name to ‘‘Prime Canterbury” .mutton. Another cross of the English . i t ‘er or Border Leicester on the •“bred ewe gave a three-quarter-bred • which was the ideal ewe from . ■ : h to breed lambs for the frozen i .cut trad' 4 . Either of the Leicesters, a Shropshire or a Southdown ram could ■ us< d, and the results were most satisfactory, hence came the prime Canterbury lambs. Then the Merinos began to go back and Corriedales took turir place on the warmer hill country. I’he < 'orriedalc ewes have not quite taken the place of the first cross ewes, as they are mostly kept in standing Hocks and bred to rams of their own breed and usually only the cull ewes are disposed of. The C'orricdale ewes when not mated with rams of their own breed are used in practically the same w: y as the first cross or half bred ewe. '! he fact that Canterbury can fatten sheep than are available by breeding means that large numbers of ■ ■ c.liug ewes are now brought in • very year from other provinces. The North Island supplies the largest number. and us these are either Romneys or .'b-mney ( tos.-i-s th e .Southdown is theram most commonly mated with them ! -r prodm-ing fat lambs. Ihe demand now being made for >mall carcases of lamb and mutton it I means that where big ewes are only (available the Southdown will be most • in demand for mating purposes, but so i I'Hig as th<Tr is a supply of lighter ■••-%.«•- like halfbreds or Corriedales, the . English and Border Leicester will be wanted- for it has to be borne in mind i that Down cross ewe lambs are not for breeding purposes, and must be got rid of as fat lamb or I mutt<»n. but good three-quarterbred longw >ol; ew e lambs will sell almost 'as well as good halfbreds. i 'I lie best breed of ram to use for the at lambs is now governed by two considerations—the size ami type of ewe bred from and the weight and quality of carease required. When there were not the present more or less hard-and-fast rules regarding weight of lambs and price paid per pound, farmers had more choice in their metho*is of breeding, and usually conisidered only what would give the most ' saleable and earliest maturing lamb. Tn | Otago ami Southland there has been I little or no change in the methods of I sheepbreeding for a number of years ■past. Ou the farms Romneys ami ' Border Leicesters and their cross are the most popular, but while their lambs are first-class, they are now Considered too big. The Suffolk has been tried in Canterbury, but its crosses are too big I or the I rozen lamb trade.