THE COLOURING OF SHOW SHEEP.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 857, 1 July 1910, Page 10

THE COLOURING OF SHOW SHEEP.

THE PRACTICE INCREASING. A subject which caused , a great deal of argument during last show season ■ wat- that of tho colouring of sheep, and rs the practice is becoming. more general thero Trill be more heard of it in 'the approaching season. At souio of the shows sheep, much overdone, were shown. Mil, further, were awarded prizes. If were otherwise worthy of the prizes they were entitled to them, as the conditions of the schedules did not prohibit colouring. At one West Censt show & first prize-taker (the writer is not sure that it was not a champion) was the object of considerable attention, 011 account of the ridiculous amount of colouting which had been daubed all over it. Tho exhibitor, too, is a breeder who is coming to the fore in sheep competitions. A. and P. members are divided in opinion as to whether or not embellishment should lie permitted. The subject is being given prominence in England as well as hero, and the following from the "Farmer and Stockbreeder" is interesting, except that tho incident quoted looks incredible-.—

"Time is moving .quickly, and interest is rapidly developing in' tho live stock exhibitions, and probably no part of such exhibitions will come in for more careful examination during the earlier bliows than the sh'.'Op sections, for there is 0110 great question upon which much diversity of opinion exists, namely, colouring. Flockr.iastors claim that they, like all other live stock exhibitors, should' have freedom of. action, and that they should be allowed to place their exhibits before the public in tho form that in their opinion best shows their merit and quality. The practice of cooluring show sheep has been allowed to get out of hand, and what in earlier years was a harmless practice has become a nuisance, and not only .1 nuisance, but a detriment. An incident at the Royal Show ot Gloucester may bo quoted as an .example. Only one pen of ewo hoggs in full fleece was exhibited in the Lincoln classes. That pen was not absolutely uncolourcd, but it was not coloured to excess. A purchaser saw this pen, asked the price, and bought the sheep. He was invifc-d to examine another pon of the same breed, but ho declined, 'for,' said he, 'this'wfool js natural, and I can see what it is.'"