ON THE LAND.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2383, 26 December 1908, Page 2

ON THE LAND.

THE DOMINION SHEEP.

AN IMPORTANT ADDITION

IMPORTATION OF DORSET

HOiRNS

There was recently landed in Wellington a flock of d&orset Horns for the New Zealand Government and tlicir advent was received with interest and satisfaction by the sheepbreeding community, for the Dorsetshire breed in a. special breed which should .prove of distinct advantage to this country. The flock being imported consists of two rams and twenty ewes, half of the. ewes being lambs. They mainly come from the flock of two of the most successful exhibitors at Home —W. It. Flower, of West Stafford, Dorsetshire, and A. E. Hambro, of Blandford, Dorsetshire, five of tho owe lambs coming from another noted breeder, A. J. Scuff, of Watchcombe, Dorsetshire. Flower supplies the rams and ton of the ewes, and Hambro the other five ewes.' Tho Dorset Horn is one of tho most ancient of the English mutton breeds. As an . early lamb raiser it is declared to have no rival, if indeed an equal. As milkers they are unsurpassed, and it is very rarely that a ewe cannot supply the necessary nourishment for her offspring, be > it twins, or even triplets. They are very .prolific, giving large percentages of twins and even triplets. This is a breed that will adapt itself to any conditions, and as fat lamb producers they cannot bo rivalled in the world. Their wonderful milk supply is accounted for by the fact that their pedigree can be traced for 400 years; they have never been crossed, and in the olden days the milk used to be employed for cheesemaking purposes in Dorsetshire. This strain they still retain, and it is not an uncommon thing for farmers in the Old Country to have to relieve a ewe of her milk while suckling lambs, so great is the supply. They do their lambs well and they “die well,” giving an usually fat caul and kidney, and, therefore, a very bright and saleable carcase. They are pureblooded sheep in the strictest sense of the word. They are said to j;ake the ram two or three months before any other sheep. In England they take the ram as early as May or June, and their lambs are usually dropped in October or November, so that they are the principal scource of the supply of early lamb. The lambs will generally be ready for the butcher in about- ten or eleven weeks.

The Dorset is somewhat larger than the Southdown, but scarcely as big as the Shopshire. The average of a matured ram is about 2151b5, and of a matured ewe about- 16olbs, though show sheep would go above these weights. It will breed at almost any time of the year and twice at that, though this, of course, is not recommended. The Dorset is a whitefaced and white-legged breed, both rams and ewes having horns, the horns of the former being larger and more curved than those of the latter. The Dorset is scarcely as heavy a shearer as the Shropshire, but its fleece is a very desirable and saleable class of wool.* A Dorset flock that will average Sib is considered a very good one. . . The flock will be located at the Ruakura. Experiment Station. The officer in charge of the sheep at this centre, Mr. David Evans, has had experience of the Dorsets in America. and thinks very highly of them as fat lamb ewes. He considers they will prove of great value in New Zealand for crossing in the production of fat lambs.

There are at the present time two flocks of Dorset sheep in the South Island. One is owned by Mr Wm. Hay, of Pigeon Bay, Avho, three years ago, secured a return of 200 per cent, of lambs. ; The Agricultural Department as also importing some liigh-blass Border Lcicesters for Mourn oh aki Experiment Station, a ram and ten ewes, from the various flocks of Hume, of -Barrclwell and Smith, of Leaston, selected by Mr. Patullo, manager of the New Zealand and Australian Band Company,- Avho is visiting the Old Country. A further importation for Ruakura Experiment Station consists of an English- Leicester ram, bred by Mr. Geo. Harrison, of Gainsford Hall, Yorkshire.

DEHORNING CATTLE. THE BEST TIME TO OPERATE. The idea still prevails that the best method of dehorning is preA'enting the horn growth by applying caustic soda to- the incipient horns of the calf. This may be a painless and simple process, but it is certainly not as effective as taking away the developed horn, for the reason that if the horn is not allowed to develop the animal Avill acquire the butting habit, of polled stock, often as dangerous as actual horning. On the other hand, if the beast is allowed to have experience of horns it Avill lose all desire to butt, and, therefore, be rendered quite docile -when. its horns are taken away. The dehorning should be done when thg_ animal is at least eighteen months old, and before it has passed the ago of two years'. The Avork should he done in cold weather,, say in September, and a short time before service.

WALLOWING IN FILTH.

The folloAving from the Wisconsin

Farm and Station.

“Agriculturist” hits a good many farmers square between tho eyes, says Hoard’s “Dairyman”:— A milk inspector from one of our large cities recently made an official call at the farm of a patron of a local milk route supplying the city with milk. This as wliat lie found: A small, stuffy, low-ceiled stable without a sign of ventilation and with a. festoon of cobwebs, dust and chaff hanging from every visible means of support; a dirty floor converted into veritable wallows by the milk-produc-ing occupants of tho stable; directly before the door a large manure pile, over which, or, rather, through -which, the cows were compelled to wade in entering and leaving the stable: a small, muddy, filthy yard in which ■there was not a spot large enough lor a. cow to lie down upon without covering herself with filth. The inspector suggested in 'a somewhat forceful manner the necessity for a few minor changes, which included a system of stable ventilation, a general cleaning up and a whitewashing of walls and partitions, a cement, plank, or other cleanly floor, a removal of the manure dump to a greater distance from tho stable door, and thorough cleaning up of the yards. The farmer at once took up arms in defence of his inalienable right as a free-born American citizen to wallow in the dirt and filth up to his neck if he so chose, and to have his own cows do likewise. Had not his herd always been kept under such conditions And who had ever heard of anyone dying from the use of the milk What Avas good enough for twenty years past certainly was good enough for the next few generations to come. In terms too forceful to appear in public, he resented the imputation of uncleanliness. What does this blankety-blank something from the- city liuoav about the management of a dairy herd anyway? He carried the story of bis outrageous treatment to his equally clean neighbors, and the whole community Avent into mourning. Think of it!

BREVITIES. A fancy pedigree does not hurt an animal for Avork in the dairy. Many of the ills of calves arise from giving them milk in poor condition. Color does not count for much, but handsome color docs not prevent ' a coav from giving milk and cream. Depth of rib, together Avith the well-sprung rib of a Avide horse, means heart, lung,., and digestive capacity. Some say that a handsome bead does not count in a cow, but experience demonstrates that it does no harm. Milk from what is known as the settling process is usually, if not, indeed. ahvays, bcloAV the normal temperature. There are germs Avhich* sometimes iiiA'ade the uterus and destroy the foetal membranes, and thus produce abortion. Tho good back, good loin, and a rump that is built upon the squaro are points that do credit to a cow or bull of any breed.