PIHAUTEA FLOCK

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20736, 21 February 1939, Page 10

PIHAUTEA FLOCK

ESTABLISHED NEARLY 76 YEARS Mr J. C. Bidwill claims to have one of the oldest and largest purebred Romney flocks in New Zealand. It contains two stud flocks and two purebred flocks comprising over 2000 ewes. This flock has been bred to one fixed type for over 70 years. No very coarse or very fine rams have ever been used, and the result is that all the sheep are of a very even type, noted for their fine heads and good constitution. Over 600 rams were delivered in 1937 and practically all of them went to regular clients. Many of these clients have never used any other rams for over 25 years, and on»; client has two farms and has used only these rams for over 30 years, and nearly always tops the Raetihi and Mangawcka ewe fairs. Three other users of over 25 years always top the Pahialua, Masterton and Waipukurau ewe fairs. The ability of Pihautea rams to improve flocks was proved by a recent statement by a large and well-known East Coast farmer in the Masterton district. He said that over 20 years ago he was fold by his Wellington wool broker that his wool clip was slipping and something should be done about it. He thanked the broker for the information and started buying Pihautea rams, which he has done ever since. Last year he had a letter from the broker to say that he might he pleased to know that the above elip was the best that they had handled from the Wairarapa. The ewes from this flock again topped the Masterton ewe fair in their respective classes. Part of this clip was sold at the Wellington wool sale last December and it brought top prices, up to 14d per lb for Romney wool; also a regular client topped the December Napier wool sale and another came second.

Further proof is supplied by the following letter received by Mr Bidwill from one of his oldest clients dated March 3, 1937:

‘‘l was pleased to hear how- well your rams did at the ram fair." “They are good sheep and are generally recognised as such.” “At the Raetihi fair my 4-year ewes topped the fair at Jackson’s yards at 38s lid being the highest price ever given in their yards for 4-year ewes in 40 years’ operations.”

“At Mangaweka fair the 5-year ewes topped the sale for that age at 34s 2d. They were sold very late, and the tops had been sold privately.” “In the January wool sale at Wanganui we sold over 150 bales of wool averaging £2B 6s per bale.” “I am glad to be able to tell you this as I am as proud of the sheep as you are yourself.”

“Sold all wethers yesterday in one draft at 275, only 12 being rejected.”

The above results are worth all the championships and prizes in New Zealand. They are £.s.d. facts that come from practical farmers. All the one-shear rams are already sold, but 250 2-shear maiden rams will be offered at this season’s Hawke’s Bay, Masterton, Hamilton and Dannevirke ram fairs, where they are always in keen demand by farmers with hill country where active rams are- required. Eighty of these two-shear maiden rams are to be sold at the Hamilton Romney fair which commences tomorrow. The greater part of the line offered by E- R. W. Bidwill will be sold to-morrow and the balance from PL R. W. Bidwill and those offered by J. Game Uidwlll will be offered for sale on the following and final day (Thursday) of the fair. It is interesting to record the fact that in 1937 a line of 30 of these rams averaged over 16 guineas at the Masterton fair and went to the French Pass and gave splendid results on a hard hill-country farm.