NEW ZEALAND SHEEP

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 28, 26 June 1939, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND SHEEP

—O «» DEMAND IN ARGENTINE CONSIGNMENTS DESPATCHED In an earnest endeavour to improve the type of sh';ep bred in the Argentine breeders who have been in the habit of purchasing in the New Zealand market are now becoming extremelv critical and more exacting in their specification for top qualuj 5/.res, all of which must pass rigia examination's before South American breeders will make purchases. Recent eabled advice received from Buenos Aires indicates that there is at present a, strong demand for rams of the best quality in Lincoln. Corriedale, Southdown and Ronnie y breeds,, and the New Zealand Loan ana Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., have in consequence made arrangements with a number of the leading breeders of these sheep in New Zealand to forward a consignment foi sale in the Argentine by the Por? Sydney which left Wellington iasweek for Montevideo. Included it this consignment are a number high class Lincoln rams bred by Mi William Rayner of Mastcrton, whici should further enhance this breeders reputation and meet with ready sale: when offered at public auction. Mi L. R. Wilton, Rangitumau. Mas tcrton, and Mr W r . M. "Cay thorpc," Blenheim, have also lor. warded several very select low.set, well covered. New Zealand type Lir>. coin rams. Included in tho Corric dales despatched arc representative, of the well and favourably know. studs of Messrs James Reid. Darlield Canterbury, and D- and M. Side} and Son, Hawarden, North Cantev burv. Marlborough breeders of Corr.ii dales also represented in this ship ment include Mr John F. Neal, <- Luc! now," Seddon and Mr R. T. Laidlav Blenheim. Mr Rayne has also forwarded two outstanding sheep. Five magnificent Romney were also shipped by this latte breeder.;

For many years past ilie Lincoln breed has been in request in the Argentine where these sheep now number some fourteen millions. In the early days of settlement in the Hawke's Bay, Manawatu and Poverty Bay districts particularly the Lin. coin became very prominent for stock ing heavy grass pastures following : the felling of bush and laying down . in English grasses. Later with the - advent of refrigeration it was found ; that the llomney breed was more • suited to these districts and the Lin. L coin, fell into disfavour, in fact the > studs became dispersed and sold vnv tii there were less than a dozen rei majPing in the Dominion. After the s demand set in from Argentine a i' ew 3 intrepid breeders, particularly Mr - William Rayner, of "The Cliff 1 -'," v Masterton. continued to improve i their studs and by careful breeding were able to develop a low-s~t, deep bodied type, well covered on the rf points with lustrous long stapled quality wool, that attracted notice r from Argentine Flockmasters. Mr f; Rayner, over a period of nine or ten t years despite the slump period, a has forwarded annually consignments f of specially selected rams and ewes r to Argentine and Uruguay and to n .him the credit must be given for ;* launching the Xew Zealand type in ;s South America. He has on several r occasions been rewarded with prices in excess of 450 guineas, one parti- •- cular ram selling last season for the record price of £700. This price i-> ," considered to be the highest ever paid in the Southern Hemisphere ior > a ram of the long wool breeds. Other breeders who, at present, n own notable Lincoln studs are Messrs 1, L. and R. Wilton, Rangitumau, v Masterton; Messrs Voss Bros Karere, r- Langburn, and in the South Islam io "Mr "VV. M. Bishell, Blenheim. This j- latter breeder forwarded a ram of k outstanding merit last season which vv realised in the vicinity of 450 guineas ;r Taken all over the breeders con. ig cerned are to be congratulated on ,-s the even type of quality sheep in ;r the three particular breeds delivered on to the Port Sydney.