FECUNDITY OF SHEEP.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 705, 19 September 1914, Page 7

FECUNDITY OF SHEEP.

It is generally held that, in the case of animals having usually one or two young at a birth, the disposition to bear twins is hereditary, and this work has for its object the investigation of the point in th« case of she c p. In July, 1909, twelve pedigree Oxford Down twin ewes were purchased by the Eoyal Agricultural College autoorities,aix from mixed twinß, and the other six from ewe twins. In their report the three kinds of twins are spoken of.as (1) ram twine, i.e , both male; (2) ewe twins, i.e., both female; (3) mixed twins, i.e., one of each sex. In tha autumn these were put to a pedigree Oxford Down ram twin, and were dropped is follows : Lot 1. —Mixed twin ewes. Nine lambs from six owes, including two pairs of mixed twins and one of ewe twins (one ewe died 'after lambing). Lot 2. —Ewe twins, a Five lambs from five ewes. No twins. Tb.B next season, with tfa'e same ram and ewes, the results wer«: — Lot I. twin ewes. Nine lambs from five ewes, including three pairs of mixed twins and one pair of fiwa twins. Lot 2—Ewe twins. Six lambs from six ewee. No twins. All tha twins were borne by the owes frim mixfd twins, and the ewe twins nea;*ly all .produced ram lambs. The experimental flock is too.small, howevtr, and the results so far obtained too few. to justify more than tentative conclusions.