CLEANING-UP TIME

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 59, Issue 256, 1 December 1930, Page 5

CLEANING-UP TIME

ELIMINAT1NG THE MISEITS, R1GOROCS CULLING A FLOCIv ESSENTIAL. WHF.BE SOME HAWKE'S BAY FARMERS EAIL. Altliough as yet we are still looking around for tlie bulk of our belated Spring grass growth, the farming season is moving around in Hawke's Bay and it will not be long before tlie sheepfarmers of this province will begin to think about tlieir culling, eliminating tlie scrub and niisfit elements in tlieir fiocks. Rigorous culling is oue of tlie main essentials of successful flock management and it is a pliase of farm ecouomy wliich could do with far niore attention from numbers of our Hawke's Bay farmers. . Oue sees signs of a certain lack of care in culling in numbers of tlie pens of station liues amongst tlie store slieep section at our Hawke's Bay saies and this is a condition of affairs wliich should be eliminated as speedily/ as possible. Every sheepman should breed to an ideal and that ideal sliould of course be tlie type of slieep which has proved itself in his experience as a farmer to be best adapted to the conditions of liis country, having the best constitution. Uniformity of type is an ideal tha.t should he strictly adhered to. Sturdiness and vigour are also strongly desirahle. It is well to remember that tlie oversize ewe is to be avoided in the flock quite as much as tbe very small. The age of the ewe is, of course, a very important point, but tbe slieep tliat maintains condition and a well-grown fleece sbonld not be discarded wliile lier teetli are sound, for liere at least oue has a sheep of good, sound constitution. The well-carried head, the firm neck, sloping easily to the slioulder, tlie even topline, a well-turned, dcep_ rib, and the full liind quarter are points to be considered in the breeding ewe. The broad, open nostril, even teeth and the soundness of feet and limbs will claim attention. Tlie udder will demand the most careful examination for its shape and texture; it should also he seen that mutilation of the teat at sliearmg has not occurred. - _ 7 Density of the fleece should be assured, and, as well as this, the wool sliould accord witli the cliaracteristics of tlie breed of tlie sheep: In all instances where kemp, or liair-like fibre, is distributed througli the fleece, or tliat it is in undue proportion of any part of it, tliere is full reason for rejeetion of tlie slieep. _ _ The main cliaracteristics of tlie breed should always demand tbe first attention 011 the part of the sheepman doing tlie job and these extend to tlie sheep as well as to tlie fleece. "Here in Hawke's Bay, where the Romney-Lincoln cross is so popular, the peVcentage of each breed in the crossing should ho determined purely by local conditions. In culling for the fleece a little experience in wool classing will be found useful as the nian wlio has had this experience will only need to open the wool on tlie slioulder of each sheep. Any slieep which vary ver.v considerably from tlie farmers' ideal towards coarse or fine should he marked so that at tlie drafting they may he sliot through the gate iuto the culi pen.