Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1897-07-23
VERMONT SHEEP. IN AUSTRALIA.
How Vermont Blood Has Improved tn,
Australian Merino.

Australian Merno.
The following article from the Wool
and Cotton Reporter will have peculiar
interest for Vermont sheepbreeders
Breeders of American Merlno sheep
will be everywhere interested in the
Melbourne champion Merino eve, and
famous breeder. Samuel McCaughey of
CoOnOng, Biverina, New South Wales,
who has been so prominent in introduce
ing Vermont blood into the Australian
flOcks.
The Coonong stud flocks take very
high position. Mr.. McCaughey proba-
bly, shears the largest number of sheep
In the world, the pastoral properties he
owns or is interested in being very
numerous in New South Wales and
Queensland. Possessing such immense
tracts of country, Mr.. McCaughey has
had unusual opportunities for testing the
Vermont strain of blood in which he has
always been such a staunch believer, and
which he has now proved, in spite of
much opposition, to he one of the most
profitable for these colonies. For the
last five years graded Vermont rams
have been used on most of his properties
with pronounced success. MI. Nc
Caughey's experience with American
sheep dates back to 1883, when he pur-
chased ten Vermont rams, which de-
parture in breeding it was predicted by
many would result in the ruin of his
then splendid flock. His Judgment has
been fully demonstrated by the price he
secures in the stud sheep market, the
extraordinary weight of fleeces yielded
by the rams purchased from him by
ms a. nd w ri h. at 10
Melbourne show.
There was no more firm believer of the
! value of Vermont blood for improving
/ the Australian Merno than Mr. S. Nc
/ Caughey and there is ample justification
for the faith that it is in HIM. His first
experience with this strain was in 1883.
and this so satisfied him of its value that
he visited Vermont in 1856 and purchased
some of the finest sheep obtainable in
that State, and he now has the graded
progeny of these sheep thoroughly es-
tablished on his numerous stations in
New South Wales and Queensland
Since the introduction of the Vermont
blood, MIR. McCaughey finds that a
marked Improvement has taken place,
not only in the average weight of fleece
for his flucks, but also in the quality OF
the wool produced, thus proving his
contention that on good, sound country
the Australian Vermont will improve
any flock. a very strong prejudice
against the strain existed in the minds
of many flock owners. but that this is
beng rapidly removed by the merit OF
the sheep themselves is proved by the
steadily increasing demands for pure and
graded Nermonts. At Sydney last
month 10 rams of Mr.. McCaughey's
breeding averaged % guineas each, anC
one ram only 10 months old realized 500
guineas. This ram had on only s.
months wool, but on being shOrn the
fleece weighed p pounds. This prOba
bly, established an Australian recorC
weight from a Merino sheep of that age
The following are the weights of fleece'
from five CoOnOng rams purchased by
MIR. j. 5. IIorsfall of Widgiewa: Two
tooth ram, % pounds from % months
growth; 4-tooth ram, ~, pounds do
do. 4-tooth ram, p pounds, do. do. 4
tooth IAN, IS pounds, do. do; 4-tootl
ram, 20 pounds, and three pure Vernon
rams bought last year by Mrs. Wakeley
of Emu Plains, cut -, n and 2G pound
for only six months growth of wool
The average weight Of fleeces taken from
1928 grown sheep on Coonong in lS9
was II pounds, two ounces and on Cool
gumbia station an average fleece of MIN
pounds six ounces was cut from owe
10000 ewes. As evidence that tn
quality of wool grown by these sheep l
improved, ii is only necessary to mention
that the TOOrale and Dunlop clips, bot
of which belong to Mr.. McCaughey
realize each year the highest prices i
London. During the recent years tn
Coonong bred sheep have been yer
prominent in the show pens, and hav
secured most of the principal prize
throughout Australia. Last years rec
ord was succession of triumphs i
Bourke. Sydney, Melbourne and Wages
and at these shows every grand chan
pion prize except one was secured, be-
sides numerous champions and frs
prizes. These successes were followe
at the Sydney show in July when tn
CoOnong sheep secured grand champio
eve, champion eve and ii first prizes
while in Melbourne the grand champlo
eve and numerous other prizes were OF