CROSS-BRED WOOL.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 981, 11 June 1879, Page 3 (Supplement)

CROSS-BRED WOOL.

-*■ . " proponi'in of tne wool o£ the last lui un years may bo classed as farmers' wool, and a verv large percentage i f the cross-bred may be termed characterless wool, or wool which through an indiscriminate way of crossing without judgment has lost every trace of tho original breeds. I do not write theoretically or speculatively, but as a practical wool and sheep classer. It, may be urged by some that I am taking advantage of what may be termed au unduo stagnation in tho wool trade at home to put. forward u,y vi'-ws. Kuc.h, however, is <">■ r:.u c.'.S;'.. i.i r ,l

ficprussuiHin .r.-i.io ;as •uJ.-ci-d iS-e v\>>oil.«ti tutoress to si wry consi-iemiile extent ; but the fact still reniniuK that inferior wools principally cross-brods, preponderate, and are yearly on the increase. The Prairie Farmer, a valuable American agricultural paper, states on the general principles of breeding : —" Crossing is practised with two distinct objects in view—Ist, to prevent degeneration in consequence of keeping to the same blood, or what is called in and in breeding ; ami 2nd, with a view of improving particular breeds when they ara deficient in any desirable quality, by crossing with others which have it in perfection or often in excess.A, well-known author on sheep husbandry, Mr. Henry S. Randall, writes, as follows:—"And when crossing is resorted to, let it be in a uniform way and direction. Lot every breeder establish his own standard and breed steadily to it. The French do this ; Mr. Jarvis did this ; both, therefore, succeeded in' establishing a new variety, noli as uniform as au old variety, yet far more so than if either had pursued a deviating and changeable course. The sheepowner who changes tho family and style of his rams every two or three years—now, for example, getting short or thick fleeced, and now long open fleeobd ones—nowgolden and dark, and Yitjw dry and light colored ones—now low broad carcaaed, and now tall ones, &c., —will never obtain that degree of uniformity which is essential to a decent bred flock." Mr. Cox, the well-known Mudgeo breeder, makes the following very pertinent remarks on this subject : —" I quite endorse the concluding remarks of the writer, but then every wool-grower should not try to become a breeder of stud sheep ; let him. rather continue to purchase year after year rams from some good stud breeder, and not change at all, unless he finds that tho progeny of these sheep do not stamp hia flocks with the character he desires." Ag-rn, Mr. W. P. Gordon of New South Wales, says Grossing well-bred rams of ono of the English breeds with largo framed merino ewes (not too young) for tho purpose of getting a better feeding shoep with a good payiug fleece is a practice daily gaining ground in the cooler sister colonies ; and I believe I may add in thia one also. The opponents of the praotioe say, ' What can you do with the oross or half breeds ? Their progeny will be rubbish.' True, if you put half bred rams to half-bred ewes, but not true if you again put good rams to them ; you have then a nearer approach to whichever English breed your object is to acquire, until, in the fourth or fifth generation or eroßs, you will have an animal whose remote descent from a merino is only shown by a softer, slightly kinder wool than his male ancestors possessed, but whose size, shape, and appearance, are scarcely inferior to his pure bred sire." It is racher a singular Fact connected with the- history of oross. breeding in the colony that, although and attention have been bexissiblp 1,1 as pure as ;enerani. amount of care, inmerous . ( ot course there are n-eeders, &c.), has not "Uoang noted electing ewes with which to form uia :voss. This most, important point is thus iommented upon in the Prairie Farmer on he General Principles of Breoding, and .lthough referring to horses, is in my ipinion equally applicable to sheep. It ays -" In. selecting a sire or dam. for irecding purposes, the dam is. most to be ionsidered for many reasons, ono boing hat she usually continues the property of lie breeder, while the siro can be changed .ach time she breeds ; but the chief argunent in her favor being founded upon ho supposition that ho really impresses ier formation upon her progeny more than he sire." 1 >ne very important operation sonnccted with successful sheep breeding, nost especially as affecting cross-bred beep, is the systematic classing and oullng of tiie owe flocks prior to shearing ■ very year. 'This essential point, with the Exception of- those breeders who have ilre'ady established reputable flocks, is by ,he bulk of sheep farmers quite overlooked, Pake for instance a flock of 500 ewes, a vell-bred flock over which even a good udge casting his eyes can detect no ipparent defect. Let him put those ewea hto pens, and go through them carefully md critically, and I will undertake to say hat unless they have been most oarefully iulled the previous year, he will pick out it least five per cent, which he. does not consider up to the mark. Now these five ■>er cent, on five hundred ewes would irobably produce lambs , inferior in quality to the others in the flock ; henoe flie beginning of deterioration ■ in a flock which, if properly attended to, would naintain year after year unblemished its rood qualities. As far aa I have been able ;o ascertain, the cross-breeding in Viotoria ias always been in the ono direction from bng-woo!l4d rams to merino ewes. I .elicYe during the last year or so one ob ;wo breeders in the western district are .rying the experiment of reversing the >rder previously existing. I have every •easo'n to believe'the result will be favorible ; but it is an experiment that requires jreat judgment; in the first place, no lifficulty would be experienced in selecting jure long-woolled ewes, hut the ranis vould have to be obtained from a district is nearly resembling the one they are to bo jrought to in climate aud pasture,as posable° I would on no aooount bring ram* 3 red in Riverina to our western distriot } ;ho sudden change from a hot dry climate •tid salt bush pasture to- our cool moist •tins and English grasses would ha tfla rreat. 1 would rather obtain them, if Possible, in the district, or as near to it aa joasible. They should of necessity be jure bred, and should have a dense coat o! iue wool; They should be of large size ind well shaped. The ewes should be licked for good form, length of staple, ilr/ii'ditness and freeness of fibre, and jrightness of lustre in the wool, which iliould likewise be free from, all tendency ;o felt or mat, and should be as free from temps or short white hairs, sucn 'is l'-"./ >h the face and the lower part of t .iu iigs [.rid inside the ilink. If, however, kemp joafined itself to tho parts mentioned it vould be of littles consequence, but when t pervades : the greater portion of the ieece, including the whole of tho belly, lalf way up the riba, and 1 wer part of ,he forearm and thighs, it is a senoua letriment to the -Wools, and no ram or ewe jossessingit in these parts s miild be used or breeding purposes. If a lock of wool >e drawn out from any of tiiese parts and mid up to the light, at the roots will be ieen these short white hairs. - These nans «11 not take the dye; yarn spun from tenipy wool' presents a rough bristly auraco from the points sticking -out, and Consequently wool containing them can be mly used for inferior purposes; kempy vool is estimated to be deteriorate some* iines to the extent of 40 per cent. Lm« '.olus, Leicesters, and in fact all the long voolled breeds, are more or less subject tg

koaps* nwwh more so tlwn the Merino. This latter breed when it does possess 1., baa invariably acquired it through neglect. Although I look npon the present peat depression in the Baropean wool trade as temporary, the one fact remains that Australian wools, of an inferior quality, especially cross-breds, are largely on the increase, and this evil can only be remedied by the sheep owners generally taking a much greater interest in their wool than they have hitherto done. It is a subject which should be frequently discussed by every farmers' cltib in the colony. Exchange.