Romney Sheep.

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 280, 2 June 1897, Page 2

Romney Sheep.

cMr J. R, Mackenzie, of Momahaka, writes to the Cbristchurch Weekly Press a^ follows :— " Mr Brady, at a meeting of the Wellington A. and P. Association, is reported to have given it as his opinion ' That tie Romney sheep now >eing bred and shown in the colonies yore not true Romney sheep, and it <vould be difficult to find a true Romuey 1 -htep in tho whole country now.' I ifjree with Mr Brady that sheep are diown and bred by many breeders that ire not entitled to rank as Rotuncys, .nany showing a distinct Lincoln type wbish cannot be got otherwise than by ,he iutoduction of foreign blco3. Such <beep have Cfrtaiuly no right to rank as •otuneys, and if judges knew their york tliey would not placo sheep not liowing the true Roiuney type, which is ■.s follows :— ' Head wide, level between -ars, with good thick foretop, no horns, ..or dark hair on tbe poll, which should :e well covered with wool, eyes large ,ud high nnd prominent. Face in ewes all, and in rams broad and masculine a appearance. Nose in all cases Must « coal black. Neck should be well set a shoulders, and strong and thick, and ot too long. Shoulders wide, well put n, and level with back. Chest wide and cep. Back straight with wide and flat oio, rump wide, long, and well turned, nil set in almost level to the chine. : 'highs well set down and developed, "he fleece should be of an eveu texture, ud of a good decided staple from foreop to tnd of tail, Eyery effort should >s made to reduce the quantity of bivcch vool. The skin nboukl be of a clear ,iink color ; tho face and legs white with 'ew bhtk spots. 1 The above is as pubisbed by the Roinney Marsh Sheep breeders' Association, Kent, England, md may be taken as about correct. " Mr Brady, in his assertion that it would be ' hard to find a true Romney heep in the whole country now,' speaks with a want of knowledge, as there are saveral flecks in tbe sout'i to the writers' knowledge, that are pure and true to tyj.e, and have not been shown for the simple fact that at leading shows judges more often than not go past sbeep bred true to type, and give prizes to the supposed improved Romney, and in so doing encourage the breeding of a class of sheep that hrs not the characteristics cf a true Romuey, for winch tbe Romney has become such a favorite sbeep. Tbe qualities aro many, the principal being that they thrive under almost any varia* ion of feed and climate. Their thrifti ness and quick fut ening qualities, comliacd with great constitutional hardiness are a proof of their value. To improve on the Romney by the introSuc tion of foreign blood, is to do away with the characteristic points, and so with tbe value of sheep, for as I have already stated, it in those very characteristic qualities that make the true Romney Marsh sheep of so much value in most parts of this colony. " I admit that climate and soil will make a slight difference in the appearance of pure bred sheep, but thesa will never lose the true character and general points of the breed. I can show Mr Brady both colonial bred sheep and Home breds direct from tbe breeder in Kent, and I am sure other breeders can do the same, and I defy Mr Brady or any other man to say they are not true to type. lam forced to tbe conclusion that Mr Brady is either a breeder of improved Romneys, or that, lika many more, who do not know or are otherwise interested, wishes to cry down the true Romney. If tbe former I pity him ; if tbe latter he may as well give it up, as the Romney as an all round and profit* able sbeep must come to tho top, and if more extensively used we would not j hear so much about the heavy death rate of hoggets in the North Island as we do. The Lincoln may shear more wool than a Romuey, but he will take an immense amount more food to enable him to do so, and then will be behind in carcase. " To conclude, I may be permitted to Bay that it would be more to the poiut to try and put down so called improved Romneys, and educate the people as to what is a typical sheep. I tako it that tbat would be more to tbe point than encouraging a breed of sheep which have no special characteristics to recommend tho tn. Mr Brady's complaint tbat judges have often to pass over a good sheep because it does not show enough of the Romney is utter rot, as tbe sbeep bas no more right in the Romney pens if it does not show the char, acter and true Romney type than a Romney would have in the Lincoln or Leicester pens. If judges who know Romney sheep cannot bo got, then I 6ay certainly strike out the class and substitute anything, such as Romney-Lin-coln or Romney Leicester or LincolnLeicester. If we are to have Lincoln or Leicester, let us have them, and if Romney, then Romney. It in a gross libel on tbe breed to talk of improved Romneys, and any man who knows bis business mnst understand that what I state is correct ; and as we have classes at most of onr shows for crossbreds, let Mr Brady get a class put in for his fancy cross and leave tbe pure breads intact.