1922.] 



SUHOPSHIRK SlIKI'.I' 



49 



Descended originally from a semi-mountain bi-ecd. it is 

 notoriously strong in constitution, and capable of withstandinjj; 

 extreme variations of heat and cold and is one of the most hardy 

 breeds in existence. During the prolonged droughts which 

 periodically visit Australia the hardihood of the Shropshire Sheep 

 has been strikingly exemplified. Mr. RalU, of Balaclava, South 

 Australia, on his return home, wrote as follows : — 



I arrived homo all right, and found that 32 per cent, of niy fiock sheep 

 had perished during the 1906 drought, although the run was 23 per cent, 

 understocked, and that, instead of marking several thousand lambs, some 

 r>00 were all my share for the year's increase. I must tell you 68 per cent, of 

 my Merino ewes died, and that those left only gave 8 per cent, of lambs, 

 whilst the Lincoln cross-bred dry sheep lost 48 per cent, of their numbers. 

 And now for a Shropshire comparison with these breeds. I lost one ewe of 

 my stud flock, and this by a dog, and the sheep, Mr. Kerape tells me, had by 

 no means the best of the country to live on, and were wholly unfed by artifi- 

 cial means ; but the best test of their hardihood comes from the grade flocks. 

 These numbered one-fifth of the sheep ; their loss has been but 8 per cent., 

 and their increase 55 per cent. Mr. Kempe also tells me these grades had 

 more to withstand than the others, as they were thought to be hardier, and so 

 were given worse country to run on. This evidence of the Shropshire's 

 value to this country of uncertain rainfall is to me overwhelming," 



Management. — A few words about management of Shropshire 

 Sheep. These sheep in their native counties are not kept all 

 the year round betw^een hurdles like some breeds, but are run on 

 the pastures a good deal. When required they are good folding 

 sheep, and do very well on roots, kale, cabbage, etc. 



Shropshires do not require a large amount of corn, in fact 

 they do better on moderate allowances of artificial food and are 

 really very economical feeders. The secret of management is 

 to keep the lambs goins^ from birth and arrange for a steady 

 supply of suitable green foods. 



A great point with lambs is to keep them on land w^hich has 

 not previously been heavily sheeped, and the more often the 

 land is turned over by the plough the less the danger of para- 

 sitic disease. The usual custom is to mate the ewes to drop 

 their lambs from the end of January to mid-March, and great 

 care is taken in the mating both as regards conformation and 

 pedigree. It is the usual practice to put them on fro<=^h pastures 

 at this period (rutting season). It is considered th;it it usually 

 results in an early and prolific fall of lambs. 



After the mating season is finished the ewes nin on old pas- 

 tures without any a.itificial assistancp except in inclement 

 weather, and as the season advances trough food is usuallv ^iven. 

 nut great care must be taken to have a good supply of troughs^ 



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