SHEEP BREEDERS' ASSOCIATION.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1396, 23 March 1912, Page 8

SHEEP BREEDERS' ASSOCIATION.

ANNUAL MEETING IN CHElSTcrtuifcii. Tlio nnnual general meeting of the New Zealand Sheep Breeders' Association (South Island) was held iu C'hristeluu-eh on Wednesday. The report of the council congratulated tho members on the continued success ami progress of tho association. Yolmilo 7, which was published during the year, contained 56! i Hocks of the following breeds:— Lincoln 24, English Leicester K7, Border Leicester 1!M, iiomney Jlar.-li iij, youthdown 39, Shropshire *50, merino Zl, Dorset Horn 1, liyeland 6, Oxford Down 1, Cori'iedalo and haltbicd 18; total, 560. Sixty-two new flocks had been admitted during tho year, viz:—Lincoln 2, English Leicester G, Border Leicester IG, liomney llarsh 13, Southdown i, Shropshire 1, liyeland 1, Corriotlale and haltbred 18; total, G2. Fifty-nine flocks had been dispersed or withdrawn, viz.-.—Lincoln i, English Leicester 12, Border Leicester 21, floinney Marsh 5, Southdown 5, Shropshire 8, merino 1, Cheviot 1, liyeland 1; total, 59. Tho council, on application from the Corricdnle breeders, decided to publish annual returns of all C'orriedalo and halfbrecl flocks, established between the lougwool and the merino breeds, tho owners of snch Hocks to be members of tho Sheep Breeders' Association. This was availed of by breeders 'of eighteen flocks. A suggestion that the Sheep Breeders' Association should give medals at different shows, was carried during tho year. Five medals were offered for competition at tho Christchureli Show, and three at tho Dunedin Show, for tho best ram over 16 months and under 28 months, the competing rams to be from registered fiocks. Tile following were the winners: —Christchurch; English Leicester, H. and J. l'eid, Darfield; Shropshire, Leonard White, liakaiu; Southdown, Johns Bros., Belfast; merino (strong combing),. A. AY. Rutherford, junr., Brookdale; merino (fino combing), not awarded. Dunedin: Border Leicester, T. S. Little, Ngapara; Lincoln, New Zealand and Australian Land Co. (Moeraki Estate); Komuey Marsli, T. L. Barnhill, Castlcrock, Lumsden. Members were again reminded that when dispersing their flocks they might .ask for the appointment of an inspector to report on their flocks, and so obviate individual inspection of small lots after dispersal. Several breeders availed themselves of this in the past year, and if advantage of it wero more readily taken it would facilitate the registration of new flocks.

The balance-sheet showed that the- receipts for the year amounted to JMG3 ss. Bd., of which subscriptions amounted lo ££}l. The credit balance, after paying accounts, amounted to ,£4G 0-\ lid. In tlio capital account the assets exceeded the liabilities by <£SSO 17s. lOd. In moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet the''chairman, in referring to the proposal to publish separate flock hooks in the North Island for each type of sheep, expressed the opinion that that was not advisable, for a good many reasons. It was far bettor to have one flock book which was a handy work of reference. There would be more confidence in tlio minds of the public in a general flock book which was published and regulated by an independent organisation such as the association. A flock book for any particular typo of sheep would be in the hands of a few interested peisons, and it would be far better if an association, which had no special interest in the publication, and in which all classes were represented, had the publication and management of a work of this kind. The great object of nil records of this sort was that they should be impartially conducted, and command the absolnt.s'confidencs of the public. In regard to culling, he pointed out that breeders were not limited to 10 per cent., and contended that they should cull up to 20 and 30 per cent, if it was dcsirablo to do so. If they were to maintain a liigh standard in their purebred flocks, every indifferent sheep should bo taken out.