OCR Text |
Show Comparison of Sheep Breeds A compariji cf medium and iuioiig Merino sires by Rob-rt P. ii-W, an Australian auU-or-ty on ctio-p and wool, a-njuld be of intend., in-tend., hterest to Rambouillet bi'jecierj cf Utah, according to Pro-14-sji' A. C. Eslln of uie Utah otite Agricultural college. Tlie subject was discussed at ths last national ram sale in relation io trends in fine wool production. The, Utah road.tr should keep in miiid the Australian meaiiing ol strong, medium and fuie as divisions divis-ions ctf commercial fine and case-half case-half blood of this country, Professor Pro-fessor Esplln adviied. Strong Merino Mer-ino wvuld be approximately 58's-60's; 58's-60's; medium would be 64's; and f-ne 70's and 80's, as used in the article by Mr. Lord, which appeared appear-ed in "The Pattoral Review," July 16, 1933: "RJviing sense of my experteuices aa o stud breeder, I constder that many matters are taken for granted grant-ed w.Uhout properly analyzing the factors concerned. "Onei that I have in mind la a question of strong wool sires. Not so long ago the mention of a strong wool was disdained, but now wie find that a majority are almoot demanding the strong wools previously discarded. It ri.ems to me that a great many are mare apt to follow what may be a fashion than to study their own position and to see what is rcvJly required. "In writing as a do I would first like to make it definitely under-eteod under-eteod that I ami not opposed to strong wool sires but I am against the discriminate use of them to tha detriment of medium wools. I consider that every stud should have its strong wools, and personally, person-ally, I look for them and use them freely, but at the same time I do not lose sight of the value of our good medium wools. In breeding I feel that If you concentrate too much on one grede of wool yom ana apt to run to extremes, therefore there-fore you must have other wools to net as correctives. Of course, it must always and) definitely be understood that, no matter what wool you use, it must have quality. This l'l essential, and more especially espe-cially In strong wool, for a strong wool sire without quality would be dolngerous. "I have heard much of late to thu effict that the strong wools are essetntial for the, producUon Of bigger sheep and better bale tiller, i, but I think that if these points were properly analyzed, and a fair comparison mode with the, rmedium wools, it would be found that these very claims made for tho strong wools really apply to the mediums for this reason. The good medium wool flheep are as big as the strong, and though the strong wools may appear bulkier, bulk-ier, I feci sure IT thouroughly teeted it would be round that the medium wteols are denser and Just a-. W.ig in the, staple. Further, Fur-ther, taking an average for a number or sheep, it would be found that the mediums are more sedid and heavier cutters, and the wool value for medium Is always al-ways recognized as slightly better than for itrong, It must therefore be, seen that a good all-round medium fleck will give the beet return per sheep, and that Is what we ar all aiming for. "Feiod and cllmatio conditions often account largely for a clip beii.g either rine, medium or 'trong, and the change in thes--eJiaracters will show very quickly. The-rei are some lew eires whose, wool will nev r alter, but I feel that I am right In stating that the majority of sires, and of ewea alio, vary considerably under thceti conditions, und mme more so than Uie btrong wools, this 1 cushy povid. Select an equal number, say 20, of each, fine, medium med-ium and strong let Uvse 60 bIkk p have three mxnths tog-tlw.r under dflerent conditons, and you will find that when you reclnss them thtro will be many alUeratlon". Th re are many characteristics In thjj greiet Merino that can be oOn-Kldcred oOn-Kldcred in the same lfeht, but, of cour:e, the wool Is by f;,r the mos'. important of all. "Summing up. fine, medium anJ Strang wools all have thrtr different differ-ent advantages, and I think It Is wise for brooders not to allot tht-ms Ives to be cairred away to'J much by one type of wojI when oth.T wools In the same blood can be used to advantage ps a corrective. correc-tive. Good fine wool ahffcp are apt to be parsed over by many breeders, but It must be remembered remem-bered that the f ne wool sheep of to-day 1-. a very much improved animal l.v comparison with what it. was twe-nty years ago. It has improved considerably In size and cVen'tlty, and of course, this quality qual-ity of wool Is always In demand at the sal's. All wools have their ewn advantages, and conditions end locality mu t always exercL' a certain amount of innuence in the sel"ctlcn or s'res. "As I said before, ralbllin to breeders are necM'"':s jtct allow one's reelings in" jnzinj; to carry on- awny medluiii the true vnlue 'f "lon, stromr. sires. " Ziure are al- |