MERINO BREEDERS

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19154, 10 November 1927, Page 15

MERINO BREEDERS

EXTENDING USE OF BREED. CANTERBURY ASSOCIATION MEETS. A meeting of the Canterbury Merino Breeders' Association was held on the Show Grounds yesterday, Mr L. R. C. Mncfarlane presiding. Mr H. Y. Munro, of the Marlborough Merino Breeders' Association, also was present.

The chairman said that the business was to discuss the question of the extension of the breed in New Zealand. The entries at this year's Royal Show were the best they had ever had in the history of the breed. Yet a lot of people found difficulty in selling their surplus merino stock. They should endeavour to find some method of trying to persuade people who had suitable merino country to go in for merino sheep. Mr Mun.-o said that the Marlborough Association had considered a suggestion that a booklet descriptive of the breed, somewhat on the lines of the publication issued by the Corriedale Society, should he published. Nothing definite had been tlecided on, but it was felt that something should bo done. They should do something to induce people with suitable country to go in for merinos. They must face the fact that New Zealand could do without the breed, though it was better with it. Certain points should be emphasised in the proposed booklet. There was a great deal of discussion about the loss of quality in New Zealand wool, and he was sure that they would agree with him that this was very largely due to the decline of the merino breed in the South Island. The old station lines—the even, well-bred merino ewes—were no longer obtainable. In the old days long wool rams were put to these ewes, and a man did not need to be a skilful sheepman to get from them a good even line of halfbred sheep. As a result they got, in those days, a crossbred wool that wan the best in the world- Merino three-quarterbreds had been the foundation of Canterbury lamb; the best lambs ever produced had been turned out. Now that these merino flocks were gone, lambs were being brod from indiscriminate ewes, and the ordinary farmer was worse off than when the halfbred and three-quarterbred merino ewes were obtainable. The use of indiscriminate ewes was a danger to their wool and mutton, though the North Islftnd Romneys and Soutndowns werfj helping to keep up the quality. The chairman said that the North Island ewes could not be compared with the South Island ewes.

Mr' Munro, in further remarks, said that the question of winter feed determined the carrying capacity of backcountry, and this was shown by the fact that when merinos were not run the carrying capacity decreased. . In Marlborough some country that only carried four crossbreds, carried five merinos to the acre.

The chairman suggested that in order to get material for the booklet members should be asked to write an essay setting out their arguments in favour of a return to the merino in the backcountry and in hard N country. The committee of the Association could go through the essays when received and select the strong points from them. The Marlborough Association could follow a similar course. A general discussion ensued as to the various matters that could be doalt with in the proposed booklet. The chairman remarked that another point worth considering was whether it was possible to improve the breed and make them more suitable for general purposes, while retaining the merino wool and the merino habit. Mr K. T. S. Murchison asked if they were not getting them too strong. The chairman did not think that they could be got too strong. Mr Munro said that New Zealand whs capable of producing the best merino wool in the world. In 188-5 while the highest prices for New South Wales wool was B£d per lb—and it was all merino—New Zealand fetched 8J; in 1886 the comparison , was B}d and 9Jd: and in 1891 it was BJd and 10} d. He was afraid that they had allowed the merino -to deteriorate somewhat since those days. Replying to a question, he said that he thought thut New Zealand wool beat Queensland wool by 3d per lb. Some discussion ensued regarding merinos for export, the opinion being expressed that Patagonia would be a fiejd for export. It was decided, after some further discussion, "That the secretary write to all members and ask them to supply information regarding the merino breed for inclusion in the booklet." Mr Munro said that the Marlborough breeders would take similar action, and would send the information they collected te the committee of the Canterbury Association.