THE RIGHT SHEEP TO BREED.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 3131, 9 August 1892, Page 2

THE RIGHT SHEEP TO BREED.

e It is evident that tho Australians, equally s with ourselves, are desirous (jf learning e which is the most profitable sheep to breed, particularly in view of the rapidly expanding export trade in frozen mutton. The attention of Australian pastoralists is directed by the Sydney Mail to a seiies of experiments which have been carried out in . that colony, and which, singularly enough, have resulted very differently to what we t have been—by recent correspondence upon e the subject—led to expect, the Lincoln i and Merino coming, once more, on the top. . The Sydney M.-ui says :—"The superiority . of Australian Merino wool is so fully iws;3 nised-m the great manufacturing centres of I the industry that the great breeders of that . type of sheep have the strongest of all rea--3 sons to retain their hold of the market. On . the other hand, the expansion of tho nient- - killing and export trade —whilst a nece.s----t sity in order to relieve tho surplus <-tock f markets—offers inducements to pastoralista ■ to provide a type of sheep thaS will supply j a weighty carcase, and yet grow a profitable . fleece. There are, moreover, classes of country which suit a heavier sheep, and '. tho owners on that class of country find . the crossbred more profitable than the . Merino. This being the case, the first t question an owner has to settle is, which ' is the best long-wnnlod stock to put to . hi* Merino ewes. The Lincoln, Leicester . and Border-Leicester represent one type of • hnavy-framed long-wooled sheep. Tho, , Knmney and the Cotswold have char i ncteristics essentially their own, whilst the I Shropshire, Hampshire, and Southdown are , also distinct. In the report of the Stock . and Brands Branch there are tables, imbi lished which contain the very information desired, and afford at a glance tho results i of a long series nf experiments conducted in Now South Wales and brought down to a monetary basis. The various breeds ali ready enumerated having been crossed with the Merino th« tables give the following paiticulara:—Wethn.w : carcase dressed weight at six months, price per lb in London, money value. The same at 12 months, 24 months, and 30 months, and the total for the four periods. The same data is afforded with regard to the fleece, and both CiKKii and fie.ece of maiden ewes, the mutton of which sells at the same price. :is that of wethers. When the totil value of mutton ami wool for the periods stated is arrived at, the Lincoln-Merino cross heads the list; Border-Leicester and Merino, 2nd ; Rotnney and Merino, 3rd ; HampshireMerino, 4th ; Leicester-Merino, sth ; Southdown-Merino, O'th ; Cotswold-Merino, 7th ; Shropshire-Merino, Sth. These tables are worthy of careful study, and should serve to guide anyone desirous nf introducing a cross ; but local circumstances may, however, tend to vary the results, so that it would bo well at rirrt to feel one's way carefully.