Romney Marsh Breed

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 31, 6 February 1937, Page 12 (Supplement)

Romney Marsh Breed

POPULARITY IN AUSTRALIA The growing popularity of the New Zealand type of Romney Marsh sheep in South Australia, which is accompanying the increased tendency to breed export lambs, was referred to by Mr G. M. Blyth, manager of the stud stock department of Bennett and Fisher, Limited, Adelaide, on his arrival from Sydney by the Wanganella on Wednesday. Mr Blyth, who was formerly in the stud stock department of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, hi come to the Dominion to purchase a large number of stud ewes and rams. He considered that there should be a considerable South Australian demand for New Zealand stud sheep during the next few years. Visits between New Zealand and South Australian farmers were proving of great* value to the South Australians, for they were rapidly assimilating New Zealand methods of pasture management, rotational grazing and other features of farming, he said. The higher rainfall districts, those of an average fall of above 25in. annually, very closely resembled New Zealand, especially in the south-east, where there wore many acres of rich soil. Until South Australia bred its own flock Tams there should be a big demand for New Zealand flock ranis, Mr Blyth' ■aid. In the past the State had been drawing on New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania, but this year there was a big shortage of good English breed flock rams in all the fat lamb-raising areas of Australia.

Tho growing popularity of the New Zealand type of Romney Marsh sheep was also referred to by Mr C. R. Rundlc, a grazier of Salisbury, South Australia, who has also come to the Dominion to purchase stud stock. Until recently the only Romney Marsh stud sheep in South Australia were of the old Kentish type, but the New Zealand type was being found very satisfactory, especially in the damper country. “People in South Australia, however, want good sheep,’* Mr Bundle added, ‘‘and I think it would be a great mistake on the part of New Zealand breeders to endeavour to unload any of their lower grade or undesirable types, for that would naturally kill their market.”