TAIHAPE STUD SHEEP.

Taihape Daily Times, 15 January 1918, Page 4

TAIHAPE STUD SHEEP.

Tile Taidape district is now noted throughout New Zealand for the excellence of its sheep. As a sheepbreeding centre Taihape is rapid strides, and is becoming somewhat of a sheep Mecca. It is not at all unusual now-a-days to see consignments of stud and flock sheep being railed for despatch to various parts of the North Island, north and south, from stud flocks in this neighbourhood. Men, who a few years ago regarded this district as a legitimate dumping ground for their culls and rejects now come to Taihape for both flock and stud rams for mating with their flock and stud ewes, and some are showing their appreciation of the good work of Taihape breeders by laying the foundations of their studs

from ewes and rams purchased from this district. It may reasonably be predicted that this district will, in the near future wrest from older settleu territories the honour of being the home of the Romney sheep. The stud Romneys of the Wairarapa have long been noted and this country owes very much indeed to such careful and persistent breeders as Mr Alfred Matthews, of Featherston < Mr Matthews, some forty years ago, had the keenness to realise that the Romney was the sheep suited to the greater part of New Zealand He pinned all his tiek-

ets on to the Romney and every one has brought him a prize, as well as having added many thousands of pounds to the wealth of this young country annually. It has been suggested that he should be known as Romney Matthews. Anyway, it is to the grit and persistency in overcoming initial prejudices by suc!i Ken that so much in the sheep world is achieved. Taihape seems even, better adapted for breeding good constitutioned Romneys than South Wairarapa, and one only needs to view a few Romney studs .hereabout to "oe convinced of this. A representativo of this journal was rather struck with the general appearance of Mr A. R. Fannin's Romneys, which he was, by the owner's kind permission; given an opportunity to wander amongst. On

many occasions, years ago, he had heard Mr Matthews running over and proclaiming the points of a Romney and what a Romney should be, and now there is some "doubt in his mind whether even Mr Matthews can show

a greater proportion of nearly perfect animals than Mr Fannin can. This is certain, that in no lot of stud rams can there be found greater uniform, ity, or more robust constitution than in the little mobs inspected. In all, there seemed to be from 250 to 300 rams which were for disposal this season, many of them having already , been sold. Mr Fannin's Romneys are | noticeable by their robustness and ! enterprise. Nest, the well-shaped,' | well-thatched heads and bright quick ! eyes attract attention On closer viewmost of the animals may be described |as of good size, great breadth ana depth of body, which: is somewhat lew : set on the legs, of £ood bone and welli woolled to the points. The wool is dense, of good length and yolk, crimped to the point, and there is a vitalj ity in the animals that is irresistible, indicating magnificent constitution. T.he extreme evenness showed a fixity ; of type that would hold its own wherever it is used. Mr Fannin, in reply to questions, said he had no difficulty in disposing of all the rams he had to spare at exceptionally good prices. To-day (Tuesday) he is despatching three stud rams to a noted Wairarapa breeder, one to another, and ten se- j lected flock rams to another. He is . also sending rams to the West Coast I jof this Island, to the Waikato and ' other parts. Besides th'ese he has standing orders for so many rams | each year. Twenty stud ewes" and ' one ram are being entrained to Te Kuiti, and local breeders call strongly upon his flocks. Both stud and flock rams are being sent to the Palmerston, Masterton and Hastings ram fairs, and all this is as it should be. For whatever Mr Fannin of any other \ breeder may do to popularise ~this"s7strict in that way increases the value of its sheep and sequentially of the land on which they are depastured. One has only to see the fine constitutioned, enterprising rams bred at Mr. Fannin's homestead on the Papaki Road to realise that the climate and country are particularly adapted for producing the,very best