ALL ABOUT SHEEP.

Wairarapa Daily Times, 12 March 1925, Page 5

ALL ABOUT SHEEP.

BUILDING UP A FLOCK. JUDGE’S ADVICE TO BREEDERS. Mr W. Gatlsbv, of Tc Kuiti, who was judge at the recent Taumarunui Show, of the sheep section, is recognised in the farming world in both islands as one of the most experienced men amongst shoe]) in the Dominion. Speaking at Tnuniaiunui after he had judged the sheep there, lie said that the younger generation of farmers were not considering sufficiently the constitution and the history of those sheep from which they wished to breed, to build up a llock. The result was that there were far too many, not only second grade sheep, but third grade sheep about. Sheep were not so carefully prepared for the showvard as they were a generation back. His advice to young farmers was that if they had a specially good lot of ewes from which they got good stock, not, to sell them because the price was high for fat sheep, for by so doing they were doing irreparable injury to their dock. There was more in breeding sheep than in breeding any other kind of stock. 11 took years of close application to build up a flock, and a. breeder had sometimes to go back years to find out where such and such an animal came from. If the ewe was important the ram was more so, and they would never improve their stock unless they kept the very best sires. The rams should have some personality, if ho might put it that way, and should have a strong, masterful disposition. The wool of the sire was also of great importance, and only those with good heavy thick fleeces should be used for the stud.