CHAPTER VII. 



THE SOUTHDOWN. 



This is the great standard mutton sheep, which has 

 exerted the same influence in the improvement of the 

 Downs breeds as the English Leicester did with the long- 

 wools. It was originally bred on the chalk downs of 

 southern England, which contain fine, sweet pasture 

 and a dry footing, and this gives an index as to the 

 type of country on which it thrives. It is essentially a 

 mutton sheep, cutting 50% less wool than the longwool 

 breeds. It matures early and fattens rapidly, and is 

 a good breed where fat lambs are the aim. It is hardy 

 and active, and with a fairly short and compact fleece, 

 stands exposed situations well. A Southdown will do 

 fairly well where a Lincoln or Leicester would do poorly, 

 but it is not so suitable or hardy for wet districts. For 

 the small sheep farmer it is an excellent sheep. The 

 ewes are prolific lamb-getters and are good nurses. The 

 ram is largely used for crossing with longwool-merino 

 crossbred ewes, all the lambs to be sold, none being 

 suitable for retention for a breeding flock. All the 

 Downs breeds are very hardy sheep, and dp well where 

 long-wools could not prosper. The Southdown fleece is 

 not so heavy or so valuable as the Shropshire's; in fact 

 in New Zealand sheep farming and crossbreeding con- 

 siderations it is mutton and not wool that weighs in 

 respect to the Downs breeds. The Downs are used to 

 obtain the fat lamb which, ewe or wether, goes immedi- 

 ately to the block. 



