INFERIOR RAMS IN HAWKE'S BAY

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 22, 10 February 1937, Page 15

INFERIOR RAMS IN HAWKE'S BAY

Serious State of Aifairs Disclosed ACTION DEMANDED To many farmera who read the account of the February meeting of the Hawke's Bay Agricultural and Pa&? toral Society it would come as a surprise — and an unpleasant one at thqt— to note that, according to Mr Wallace Tod, the well-known Jtomney breedei', of Otane, there is no inspeetion of rams before they are entered in the Romney stud book. While not sugges* ting that the average studbreeder ] takes advantage of this fact;. there is ' a danger, evidence of which is not lackingj, that there are animals regis- , tered which have defects which should debar them from being included in the stud book. The Hawke'a Bay A. and P. Society s aetion, in asking'that the Romney Marsh Sheepbreeders' Association take up this matter; is one that will be unanimousiy approved by farmers throughout the province. It will be a great pity if the association defers the matter or declines to take action, as the sheepfarmer justly entitled to protection from breeders whose standards are lax, and who are prepared to foist stock on tP the market that are blemished, The quality of the entries at this year's Hawke's Bay ram fair was not good, and was certainjy no adverfispment for some of the breeders who ofl'erca stock. The adverse commonii of aeveral farmers who attended the sale would have made the ears of thoio breeders burn, if they could have hcaid what was eaid about their entries. As a lesuit there is growing dissatisiaetion in sheepfarming circles in Hawke'a Bay, and, from more eources than oue, the Herald-Tribune learns that a growing number of farmexs are obtauiing their rams by private treaty. They thus obtain the animals that they require, sound in breed points. "Hawke'a Bay seems to be degen* erating into a dumping gvound for rams, as far as the ram fair is concerned," was the outspoken ooinment. of one Hawke's Bay farmer who this year was compelled to secure his requirements privately. "The ofi'eringis at Tomoana are just the 'rejects' ot breeders who have had their avaiiablo rams picked over, and, after selling ofl the best of their animals privately and at other saies, they send the rest up to Hawke's Bay." Jf such is the case. and there «ppears to be some foundation for this allegation, it is time that some movo was made to change this state of afJtaii's. As the premier ftheep-farming areas as far as Romney s are concerned, Hawke's Bay requires only the best of rams, if the qxiality of our flocjr/t is to be inaintained and improved, and inferipr rams can ohly result in harin to our wool quality. carcase and constitution. Whether the Hawke's Bay branoh of the Farmers' TJnion will take this matter up ig a question that is being asked. It certainiy appears to be one that vitally affects the farmers of this district, and, as such, is a matter that comes witbin tlie scope of the union. Any action that they may take to issist in remedying this state of affairs will undoubtedly meet with the wholehearted support and co-operation of many sheep-farmers whq have fluffered from haying inferjoir eirea gold to them.