AN AMERICAN ON AUSTRALASIAN SHEEP

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2419, 26 March 1915, Page 8

AN AMERICAN ON AUSTRALASIAN SHEEP

Mr. F. S. King, of Wyoming, U.S.A., who' recently visited Australia apd New Zealand, writes us as follows:— 1 "It has come over me very foroibly that a cross between sheep like the Wanganella and our own Kambouillet would develop a sheep that would surprise every bodyj and I mean to try it. .What has hurt the Rambouillet in the foreign market is this: The only men whp exported these sheep to South Africa are men who, from their location, and the fact that they or their fathers had been Vermont Merino breeders, were in favour of a type closely resembling the old merino. They have selected the very type that would not sell here to range men or to Australians, and have shipped them as specimens of the Eambouillet breed. Any buyers coming here from South Africa have gone,to Ohio and New York and. have been shown this type instead of coming to tho ■ real sheep states and looking at what 'we have here. "I found in Australia that the sheep that takes, the prizes in shows is not as a rule the theep that brings the most money. It is the same here. .Like your Riverina people, the sheepmen here want something that is robust, and with their flecce' and our form, I believe wonders can be done.

"Regarding the Corriedale, they, to my mind, will fill a long-felt want here. Many of our men Deed a half-blood ram to cross on our lialf-blood ewes, keeping tho owe . lambs, hut -selling tie wether lambs. > I firmly believe that with careful - handling' the Corriedale will be' the ; commit'sheep for half of the western country. The Government purchased about sixty head of good owes, and will ;by. actual test 6ee what caji he dono with' them here. Wo ourselves brought.over a show flock of six ewes and two ranis' from Mr. Greenwood, and also some rams from Mr. Ensor, both' of,' New Zealand, and will ship moro n;ei!t .month. I-hope soon to be able to repoii'-_sp.mething about'merinos brou£ht-liere"'frqm Australia. "I am' fust'-senclmg for 100 head of Corriedales.",^,','Pastoral Review."