658 SHEEP 



The weight of the Corriedale sheep, according to King, 1 is 300 

 pounds for mature stud rams, 250 to 290 pounds for two-year- 

 old rams, with yearlings up to 220 pounds. Six months' lambs 

 are said to attain a weight of 100 pounds. Many ewes weigh from 

 200 to 250 pounds. 



The fleece of the Corriedale sheep represents a very long staple 

 suggesting the fine-wool ancestry, but with more coarseness and 

 length. In discussing the fleece F. S. King offers the following 2 : 



The fleece is about 5 inches in staple, runs about 6o's in the count, 3 has a 

 decided crimp, is a strong, robust wool of the half-blood type running into fine 

 medium grade, carries a good luster, and the belly wool is thickly put on and 

 free of grease. The fleece is fairly even throughout and is free from jars or 

 dog hair. . . . The wool brings a top price, and being set well on the sheep in a 

 quite dense, compact fleece that is free from any surplus grease, held well to- 

 gether with binders, makes a great protection to the body from cold wet winds 

 or spring snows. It keeps out the dirt well and is quite an attractive article 

 both to the buyer and seller. 



The Corriedale fleece, being somewhat light in yolk, is a fairly 

 heavy weigher. Marshall gives figures regarding eighteen sheep 

 shown at the 1914 Christchurch Show, New Zealand, on which 

 occasion the fleeces ranged from 15 to 20 pounds 14 ounces. 

 According to F. S. King top-selected ewes will shear fleeces 

 weighing from 14 to 18 pounds. 



The rank of the Corriedale as a mutton producer is very good 

 in its native country. It matures early and lays on weight rapidly, 

 producing a smooth, well-covered carcass that dresses out very 

 satisfactorily and seems especially suited for export in the frozen- 

 meat trade. On the London market carcasses of Corriedale blood 

 command a high price. In the Canterbury district of New Zealand 

 crossbred ewes the result of breeding Lincoln or Leicester 

 rams to Merino ewes are bred to Southdown rams, the combi- 

 nation producing a much-desired carcass in the London market 

 known as " Canterbury lamb," which commands a premium 

 for its excellence. King reports that in packing-plants lambs 



1 American Sheep Breeder, May, 1915. 



2 Ibid. February, 1915. 



8 A technical term indicating that i pound of top wool in the mill can be spun 

 into yarn 60 times 560, or 33,600 yards in all. 



