EVOLUTION IN SHEEP.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 984, 26 November 1910, Page 19

EVOLUTION IN SHEEP.

FROM MERINOS TO ROMNEYS. A STORY OF EAST COAST •, '' PROGRESS. To-day New Zealand hold some of the finest. Romney Marsh sheep in the world - fifty-six ycareago thcro was not an animal of the breed in tho country. The history of Romney Marsh breeding in the North Island is interesting, and the story hero given is written from information obtained from Mr. Alfred 1 Matthews, of ■ Waiorongomai, it particularly concerns tho introduction of tho breed to tho Wairarapa, and tho progress the sheep have made since then.

The late Mr. Alfred Ludlam, of Waiwetu,' was tho. first person to set to work with Romncys in Now Zealand. Mr. Ludlam bought some merinos from Dr. Hildebrand, of Hautotara, near Martinborough, and later, two or threo Romnoy ewes which had boon brought out by tho late Mr. Leonard Young, of Wellington. It was in 1856 that Mr. Ludlam purchased his first Romneys ,and from thorn he built up bis purebred flock. While from the small number he bred up his purebred flock, from the merinos lie bred tho flock whioh waa dispersed in 1874. , Most of the sheop sold in

1874 were fourth, and sixth-cross- ewes, and the purebrods were very : limited in' number. Settlers lip the ' West Coast and somo in tho Wairarapa purchased a number of tho Ludl&m fourtooth and Bk-tooth crossbred owes, and some succeeded'in obtaining 'a few of tho purebred lot.' Some of the breeders of'tho old merino flocks utilised Ludlam's Romney rams (not the purebreds) for crossing with merino ewes, and several of the flocks' in the Wairarapa at the. present .time have descended from merino ewes crossed in the first placo with Ludlam's Romney rams.' , ' " '"'■.' ■■'■ • '••'■'' '■; ■-"'■- , '' ,; '■■'"'

■ For some years there was great.difficulty in obtaining purebred Romney rams; Consequently,' crossbreds had to bo used, a result was that flocks, did uot attain purity of breed for many years. Eventually, the importation of rams from England became freer,-and ewes also were brought out. Those importations enabled breeders to get purebred sheep, and, assisted materially .in giving character to flooks which had hitherto borne a good deal of tho merino typo. Of late years great 'improvement has taken place in the Romnoys generally. Much more character and pureness of breod is noticeable, now than existed a few yoars ago. From one or two flocks-.'.the merino type' has : never been absolutely stamped out, particularly in tho Hawke's. Bay-, and sheep may be seen having beautiful' w001, , , but tacking the true, characteristics' .0f,..'-.the l .:'? Romney sheet}., -.'Many.. people v claim; J that.-<v the ■English "; sheep. ;.aro : .not :entirely:''satisfactory;;?- . "They'may.,not' be," 'says Mr. Matthews,' "but; at the same time, it seems to .mo-that it is essential to occasionally introduce the pure type of sheep in order to give our sheep the true, Kentish character. Further, in parts of this district,-.where there is very little.limestone, theie .ha* Seen a tendency for sheep to run down,'and the introduction occasionally of tho sturdy, large-boned English sheep generally has a beneficial effect.' It should always be impressed on all breeders- that constitution essential to success. As Mr. J. N. Williams.used to say, "Constitution stands first, constitution stands second, and constitution stands third. , " Originally all the flocks in tho North Island were merinos, introduced from Australia,

and it j s from them that the present crossbred flocks havo. come. ''And; ,, remarked Mr. Matthews, ''when you come to consider things, you ,will find that really only .a-limited number, of purebred sneoj) have' been imported." In explanation otwhy thoro were bo many merinos in the Wairarapa , and Hawkes Bay in tho early days, Mr. ■Matthewsi. said: ."When I. came-to this district there wore no roads or bridges, ■so tho settlers stuck to tho coast track or tho nver in order to have a means ot getting their produce to Wellinkton. large tracts'of.-land "were taken up, ana tlio sheep.brought in were merinos. IJie old merinos gave 'about four to four and a half pounds of wool. Thev ■wero unsatisfactory, and it was. found' 11 cr ߧ. sms ,viHl longwools was' profit"bl°- The first cross was found to bo the best. was a serious trouble with me-rinos, and ' caused people to hurrs'out of the breed. To-day you scarcely, if over, see a merino. There may be a few on the rougher stations, ine studs have been worked up from these old flocks, though you can look upon thom to-day as bang purebred