THE RIGHT SHEEP TO BREED.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 3129, 4 August 1892, Page 3

THE RIGHT SHEEP TO BREED.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —After the almost unanimous expressions of opinion from so many authorities, that flock-masters in this colony should discard the Lincoln cross, and in place thereof U3e the rams of some of the Down breeds, it would be almost cruel to continue the discussion on the same lines as before, and I shall content myself with a brief summary, thus—lst. The Down sheep are far and away the favourite sheep in England, they give a very large increase of lambs, a fairly heavy floece of good quality, and are magnificent sheep for the butcher. 2nd. The Lincoln cross is condemned, because (as freezers) the carcases are too heavy and loaded with coarse fat. 3rd. The Down cross (as freezers, both lambs and sheep), have always realised by far the highest price in the English market. 4th. The enormous quantity of freezers that will be put on the market from Australia, the Argentine, tht* Falkland Islands, the Cape, and New Zealand (all of the same low level quality) will reduce the price realised below all margin of profit, and the .sole and only way out of that difficulty is to raise the standard of quality. This can be done by using the Down rams, and the result will be a certain profit, instead of a certain loss. My authorities for the above statement are many and various. I will only mention :i few, viz., the carcase salesmen in England, Mr Grice and other Southern breeders who have proved tho value of the Down cross by shipments and resulta, Mr H. Reynolds, and lastly, Mr Win. S. Caverhill, whose most interesting and convincing letter appeared in your issue of July 2Stb, should be read .over again and again, biwejy we know ; now what lines we ought to go on. and it .only remains for us to follow them up without delay.—l am, etc., Moixok.