DORSET HORN SHEEP

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 189, 31 May 1939, Page 1

DORSET HORN SHEEP

GISBORNE IMPORTATION 30 STUD EWES ARRIVE BREEDING OF. FAT LAMBS Thirty Dorset Horn sheep arrived at Gisborne on Thursday last and cioated much interest among dockowners who inspected) them. They are stud ewes from Victoria and all are in lamb. The breed is. a new one to the Gisborne district, and no stud Dorset Horn sheep are known to be here at present. A few years ago Air. C. Laver, who had a property at Ngat-a.-pa, imported a number of ewes, but lie .moved his flock, a few months later to Hawke’s Bay. It is believed that the importer of the present line wishes to make an experiment with the Dorset Horn breed in the production of fat Jambs, using some of the sheep on the flats and others on the low hills in order to ascertain their suitability to the two types of country. The Dorset Horn is a breed which is able to produce two crops of lambs a year, and with such an advantage any season it is believed that there may be distinct ..possibilities of developing fat laivib production at a period cf the year when there is none at present. Whether this is the idea of the owner is not known, but such a prospect would be an interesting aspect of the experiment. It may be that the owner lias in view the possibility of Improving the fat lamb type by the use of the Dorset Horn breed but whatever the lines otf the experiment, flockowners of the district will be interested to learn the results.