SHEEP BREEDING.

Dunstan Times, Issue 363, 9 April 1869, Page 3

SHEEP BREEDING.

Mr. K P. Bayly writes to the Sydney Morning Herald It is for some years past the system of breeding sheep for numbers has almost been generally followed, quite regardless of the quality: The fact that, like produces like is in no way regarded, and very many squatters prefer breeding from any mongrel-bred rams they can produce from their own flocks, or buy cheap, in preference to purchasing a few good rams. The consequences are now manifest; scarcely a broker's report reaches Sydney that does not convey the fact that most of our colonial wool is sadly defective, and unmistakably shows that no correct system of breeding has been kept up. Stnckmastofs seem to forget that it costs as much to keep 1000 indifferent sheep as it would 1000 of the best. I thoroughly believe that two thirds of the sheep'in the colony are absolute rubbish, and will not pay the expense of their management. If stockmasters could he induced to cull their flocks to one-third of their present number, and put all the ruhiah into the pot, they would find it to their advantage. I do not speak without experience in this matter, although my run* are extensive, and would carry 25,000 sheep, I never keep more than 10,000 and probably, with one or two exceptions, I make more out of my 10,000 sheep than any person makes out of 50.000. 1 may be wrong, but such is my impression. For nearly a life time, I have adhered to the system of culling, and never keep any sheep that 1 consider in any way defective or objectionable. I can with much satisfaction point to my wool-sales for the last twenty-five years. They have always maintained an uniform price, and generally at the top of the market. This year, with the miserable prices we have had to put up with, my clip of one hundred and nine hales averaged upwards of 2s. 7.jd, per 11). all round, and two-thirds of it was sold at the most depressed time of tire sales. I mention these facts to show that, when I tender advice, it is merely to induce others to pursue the system so successfully carried out by myself. Good wool and plenty of it ought to lie the study ofVueepowners ; hut this can only lie obtained by close culling and a careful selection, of breeding owes, taking special care only to put among them the best rams obtainable. The introduction of pood rams not only gives good wool and plenty of it, dnt in a short time they will double or treble the value of the {looks that have partaken of the change. There is no question that ten thousand good sheep are considerably more valuable than fifty thousand indifferent ones ; therefore my urgent advice is put the boiling pots to work as soon as possible or else in a few years those who possess the moat sheep will be the first into the Insolvent Court