The Rural Voice, 1981-03, Page 17UEST COLUMN
Sheep the animals for the '80s,
Nova Scotia producers say
Sheep have been seen on the shores and hills of Nova Scotia
for over 300 years. Early settlers and fishermen brought sheep
with them from Europe as a source of food and wool. These
sheep originated from France, Spain, Portugal, England and
Scotland. As their blood mixed they formed a rugged native
sheep that numbered nearly one-half million by 1900.
Introduction of the Downs breeds brought about carcass
improvement in the first half of the twentieth century. Most
flocks were 15 to 20 in number and were kept for family use.
Surplus lambs were sold to neighbours.
A steady decline in numbers of sheep followed with a low of
17,000 in 1970. That year marked the first major importation of
British Sheep to Nova Scotia and North America. This
importation included 1,250 Scottish Blackface, 40 North Country
Cheviots, 40 Clun Forest, 30 Hexham Leicesters and some exotic
rams for Agriculture Canada Central Experimental Farm. This
rejuvenated the industry and numbers climbed gradually until
they reached 25,000 ewes by 1980. 1975 saw 1,450 North Country
Cheviots arrive in Sydney from Scotland. Those were followed by
1,000 more in 1976.
The "Super Sheep Sale" of 1978 in Mabou saw buyers from
across Canada purchasing the descendants of this importation.
1979 saw strong lamb and ewe prices throughout with many
producers expanding and new entrants joining the industry. 1980
started well with Easter prices sound. The autumn slump
occured in August but prices did not recover in their traditional
pattern.
A joint producer - Department of Agriculture Task Force was
established in 1979 to examine the industry and make
recommendations for the future. Recognizing the sheep's unique
ability to convert herbage into meat and fibre, this Task Force
could see a fivefold expansion in sheep in the next decade. Most
producers are part-time sheepmen. Sheep make up the sole
enterprise on few if any Nova Scotia farms. Many producers are
employed off the farm and maintain flocks of about 50 ewes.
Sheep also form a secondary enterprise on dairy, hog and poultry
farms. There are only two flocks of over 1,000 ewes in the entire
province.
A unique method of sheep raising is practised by fishermen on
off -shore islands. These sheep are placed on the islands and
utilize seaweed and kelp as winter food. They consume whatever
herbage exists on the islands and are there year-round. They
have no shelter and live entirely on what they can eat from the
beaches. Some of these sheep are descendants of the original
sheep brought from Europe centuries ago. Extremely hardy,
they produce quality lambs with very little input.
Most producers raise sheep in the traditional way, lambing in
April and May and marketing their Iambs directly off grass.
Some raise early lambs for the Easter market and others
specialize in raising quality rams for breeders. Most breeds can
be found in Nova Scotia and our purebred breeders are enrolled
in ROP and most send ram Iambs to be station tested. In addition
to the popular Suffolk Dorsets and North Country Cheviots, Clun
Forest, Bluefaced Leicesters, Scottish Blackface and Romneys
can also be obtained.
Our annual breeders' sale is on the Labour Day weekend. Last
year over 1000 head went under the auctioneer's hammer. A few
producers specialize in producing quality hybrid breeding stock.
These crosses are the Greyface - Bluefaced Leisceste'r ram on a
Scottish Blackface ewe; the Scotia halfbred - a Border Leicester
or Bluefaced Leicester ram on a North Country Chev iot ewe and
the Finnish Landrace Dorset cross.
Many of our lambs find their way to the Montreal market via
the weekly sale barn. About one-third of our fat lamb production
is believed marketed to the local freezer trade. Breeding stock
has been traditionally sold to Ontario and Quebec sheepmen as
well as Atlantic producers.
1980 saw the diagnosis of diseases heretoford unknown in the
Nova Scotia flock. Both Pulmonary Adenomatosis and Enzootic
Abortion were positively identified. This has caused concern and
a great deal of emphasis has been placed on flock health.
Sheep numbers are increasing in Nova Scotia as they are in
Canada as a whole. The expansion is slow and we suffer from
"smallness" at all levels. Sheep are still the animals for the '80s.
By Roy N. Evans
Secretary
Sheep Producers Association of
Nova Scotia
R.R. 111, Kingston, N.S.
I W.D. HOPPER
& SONS
1
Water Well Drilling
R.R. 2 Seaforth
Members of the Ontario Water Well Assoc.
• Prompt Reliable Service
• Free Estimates
• 5 Modern Rotary Rigs
Call Collect James
Seaforth
527-0775
Neil
Seaforth
527-1737
Durl
Seaforth
527-0828
Where Hopper Goes The Water Flows'
SINCE 1915 -
THE RURAL VOICE/MARCH 1981 PG. 15