H.—34a.

Report of D. J. Sidey, Canterbury Agricultural College. Herewith please find my ideas of what is necessary to bring about a general improvement in the returns from New Zealand wools. It must be borne in mind that it is the returns that count, and so any improvement scheme must have as its basis the attack on all points of the factors which influence the returns. Boiled down, my ideas of research are — (1) The collection of information and the planning of experiments which will show what is the correct quantity and what is the required quality of food to bring about the required production of the maximum quantity of goodquality wool: (2) Collection of further data which can be made use of by inspectors appointed to assist in culling of sheep, so that a reasonable idea can be given as to whether or not the sheep is likely to breed good or poor quality wool: (3) An extension of our Wool Testing Scheme to determine which sheep or strains of sheep are producing the greatest quantity and best quality of wool. Similar to herd-testing : (4) Experiments planned to determine which branding fluids will give the best results as regards permanence in different districts in New Zealand and will at the same time scour off the fleece in the mills. Hand in hand with the research should go propaganda to further— (i) Better breeding methods: (ii) Greater care in general management: (iii) Correct treatment of the wool subsequent to shearing. (5) Attention to marketing — (i) Elimination of excess handling wherever possible: (ii) Reclassing of small mixed clips. Wool Improvement. The basis of all animal production is the economical conversion of foodstuffs into animal products. Sheep are no exception to this rule, and with them we have to consider production under two main heads — (1) Production of flesh, chiefly fat lambs; and (2) Production of wool. It is not possible to divorce one from the other because of the fact that better feeding, which is so essential in this country, will have an equal influence on the returns from wool and from fat-lamb production. This is particularly so when it is realized that so many of the farmers concerned will be owners of " flying " flocks, whose interest in wool improvement is of the slightest but whose interest in fat-lamb production is all important. In order that these men may receive information it is essential that the object of the work should be to improve the total returns from the sheep rather than the returns from wool alone. It may not be out of place to point out here that it is being realized more each year that some of our so-called diseases of sheep are attributable to a large extent to insufficient and/or improper feeding. Such diseases affect not only the lamb, but the wool production. The improvement of wool generally comes under four main headings : — (1) Feeding : (2) Breeding : (3) Management: (4) Marketing. 1. Feeding. Feeding has been placed first because it affects— (a) The quantity of wool produced ; (b) The quality of the wool; and (e) The general health of the animals. Without correct feeding the sheep are not able to display to the fullest their genetic characters for production, either in the form of quantity or quality. If we are going to strengthen our wool-production, it is essential, therefore, that our feeding be of such a standard that any selection made for greater quantity or better quality of wool will have a sound foundation. Figures collected from experiments conducted at Lincoln College show that an increase of half a pound of wool per head results from good feeding as opposed to mediocre feeding for the winter months of June, July, and August. For better feeding from April to September the increase due to better feeding amounted to one pound per head. Along with this increase in quantity there was an improvement in quality, which was evidenced chiefly by the fewer tender or cotted fleeces in the well-fed lots. It is difficult to estimate the actual value of such improvement in quality, but in one case a competent classer estimated that there was as much as 2d. per pound difference in value between good and poor feeding. The results of these experiments show in addition that the better feeding has an equally marked effect'on the number of lambs reared and the general thrift of the lambs.

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