SHEEP UNITED STATES, NEW ZEALAND, AUSTKALIA. 



17 



BREEDS AND TYPES IN NEW ZEALAND. 



From a total of 15,000,000 sheep in 1886, New Zealand flocks have 

 increased steadily to 24,500,000 in 1914. A part of this increase is due 

 to breeding for mutton, as well as wool, instead of the almost exclu- 

 sive aim to produce wool before the exporting of meat became com- 

 mon. While wethers are still kept until 3 or 4 years of age in some 

 sections, the number of breeding ewes is now about 12,500,000, an 

 increase of 3,250,000 breeding ewes since 1904, during which time the 

 total number of sheep increased by 6,000,000. The following para- 

 graph from the New Zealand Official Year Book for 1914 explains the 

 status of the various breeds : 



Tlie Dominion is eminently suited for sheep breeding, practically every de- 

 scription of sheep finding a favorable local habitat. In the hilly and down 

 country of the South Island the Merino has been bred for very many years, and 

 was the original sheep depastured. In fact, the Merino ewe furnished the 

 foundation of the cross-bred stock which has made Canterbury mutton famous on 

 British meat markets. In the early days of the Canterbury meat trade the 

 English Leicester of the original type was the favorite ram for putting to the 

 Merino ewe. Of later years the Lincoln has been largely employed to cross 

 with the Merino, and black-faced rams have been further employed to put to 

 the cross-bred ewes. In the North Island the Romney sheep, which suits the 

 rather moist climate of this portion of the Dominion, has become the most popu- 

 lar sheep ; it is also increasing in numbers in the South Island. The Lincoln 

 and Border-Leicester are also favored in both islands, while the Southdown is 

 displacing other breeds for fat-lamb production right throughout the Dominion. 

 The Leicesters, mainly the English variety, are still the most popular British 

 breed in the South. 



With a total of 11,625,000 sheep in the South Island in April, 1914 (lambs are 

 dropped mainly in September and October 1 ), there were 85,299 breeding ewes in 

 491 registered flocks, distributed as follows : 



Breed. 



Number of 

 flocks. 



Ewes bred 

 in 1914. 



Breed. 



Number of 

 flocks. 



Ewes bred 

 in 1914. 





158 

 113 

 85 

 46 

 34 



19,910 

 17,937 

 15,110 

 4,989 

 3,525 





22 



15 



14 



3 



1 



11,010 







7,399 

 1,861 











159 





Half-bred 



3,399 







THE CORRIEDALE. 



The study of Corriedale sheep and the selection of a trial importa- 

 tion were the main objects of the writer's visit to New Zealand. The 

 Corriedale breed was produced and is still most extensively bred in 

 the Province of Canterbury of the South Island of New Zealand. 



The Corriedale sheep, as now bred in New Zealand, is a wool and 

 mutton sheep. Its breeders seem to have given special emphasis to 

 woo], most of which would grade on our market as three-eighths 

 blood and commonly has a length of 6 inches. At the Christchurch 



1 Corresponding to March and April In tho Northern Hemisphere. 



6830°— Bull. 313 -16 3 



