THE SHEEP RETURNS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1517, 13 August 1912, Page 8

THE SHEEP RETURNS.

' A lIALF-MILLION DECREASE. • Discussing tha fact that tha intfirirasheep returns just issued.show a'shortage of over half a million (or 531,991) as compared with April 30 last year, a southern, writer, says the figures will not causa any .surprise. Tho decrease is attributed to tho shortage of nearly 200,000 breeding ewes last season as compared with the year before,' and the consequent smaller lamb crop Iras'still'further reduced by the percentage being less than that of the previous year- The ,shortago in breeding ewes is the most serious feature of the situation. There were considerable losses of ewes last winter and spring owing to shortage", of feed, and the numbers eiported this season were "exceptionally largo. It may be expected, therefore, that the prices of breeding ewes, which are already, high, will' remain so throughout the'year. ; This should encourage breeders to retain more of the best ewe lamb 3 for breeding purposes, and so increase tho ewe flocks., .llnder a vigorous land settlement policy,-with the consequent opening up of new country, sheep will be required in much greateT nnmbers than the country is now carrying. If> however, New Zealand is going ;to continue fattening and exporting more sheep than can be annually raised from Available'breeding flocks, there is only one other course open, and that is to import breeding ewes from Australia for country for which they are suitable. There is no'reason why this should not be done if a reasonable shipping freight could, be arranged.