North Canterbury News: December 16, 2021
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MANGAPIRI DOWNS<br />
38 The <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong>, <strong>December</strong> <strong>16</strong>, <strong>2021</strong><br />
‘Hair sheep’ breed’sgrowing popularity<br />
Thereare morereasons than ever<br />
to considerdiversifyinginto‘‘hair<br />
sheep’’.<br />
Western Southland sheep<br />
breederTim Gow, whohas been<br />
runningthe MangapiriDowns<br />
stud organically since the mid<br />
1980s, saysdemand for his stock is<br />
increasingbothinNew Zealand<br />
andacross the Tasman.<br />
‘‘Hair sheephave taken offin<br />
Australia.’’<br />
Mr Gow has developed his own<br />
breed of hairsheep,which he has<br />
trademarkedShire.<br />
After seeing theWiltshire<br />
breed in England in 1985, he<br />
adopted it forits hardiness, good<br />
meat production, and selfsheddingfleece.<br />
TheWiltshire is thought to have<br />
descendedfromthe Persian Hair<br />
meat sheep taken to Britainby<br />
theRomans.<br />
It thrivedonpoorfeedand<br />
foragedacross largedistances<br />
during theday.<br />
WiltshireHorns arrived in<br />
Australiain1952and polled<br />
Wiltshires came to New Zealand<br />
about20years later,after wool<br />
prices collapsed.<br />
Mr Gow’s lateuncleScott<br />
Dolling,agenetic adviser in the<br />
developmentofthe Poll Dorset<br />
breed, often visitedMangapiri<br />
Downs.<br />
He identifiedanunusual ram<br />
lamb on thefarmin1998asa<br />
Persian Hairlookalike.<br />
Havinganalysed thestrain in<br />
Hair sheep ... The Shire hair sheep do not need to be shorn.<br />
the Gow flock,headvisedMrGow<br />
on howtodevelopitusing the<br />
GermanMutton otherwise<br />
known as the WhiteHeaded<br />
Marsh,which alsohas thePersian<br />
Hairstrain.<br />
It would havebeenhard to<br />
achievethe Shirebreed<br />
geneticallywith asingle strain,<br />
but thetwo strains ‘‘quietly<br />
mergedtogether’’ didthe trick,<br />
Mr Gowsaid.<br />
‘‘Wewentdownsomewrong<br />
avenues at times, but it worked<br />
out reallywellinthe end.<br />
‘‘We’ve hadgreat feedback<br />
frombuyers.’’<br />
He has met hisuncle’s<br />
challengeofbreeding longevity<br />
intothe flock and some of the<br />
eweshave lived to the age of 15<br />
and alot reach 10 or 11 years.<br />
Thisadds to theirappeal of<br />
never needing to be shorn,<br />
dagged, drenched, vaccinated, or<br />
dipped.<br />
Fertilityishigh, growth is<br />
quick,and meatyield plentiful.<br />
‘‘Theyhave eased our<br />
workload, reduced ourcosts,<br />
madefarmingeasier andreduced<br />
my backpain,’’ Mr Gowsaid.<br />
Restaurants favour the<br />
flavoursome, finetexturedmeat,<br />
and thethick pelts producealot<br />
of firstgrade leather.<br />
‘‘Shire sheep areintelligent<br />
and graze more independently<br />
thanothersheep,’’MrGowsaid.<br />
‘‘Theyare agile, moving quickly<br />
and easilythrough roughterrain.<br />
‘‘Theyexhibit an unequalled<br />
abilitytosurvive and thrive<br />
where other breeds wouldnot.’’<br />
Adevoted client basehas<br />
grown in the last30years,<br />
SHIRE ® (hair) &Wiltshire (shedding)<br />
Happy families ... The Shire ewes have had their lambs.<br />
rewarded by Mr Gow with a30<br />
percent discount oncetheyhave<br />
accumulated10yearsas<br />
customers.<br />
Oneofthe most loyalbuyers<br />
farmsintough conditionsinthe<br />
outer Pelorus Sounds.<br />
Thesurge in demand is partly<br />
duetopoorwoolprices, meaning<br />
sheepfarmersare focusing on<br />
producing meat.<br />
Asecond cause is adropinthe<br />
availability of shearers, largely<br />
because Covid19 travel<br />
restrictionshaveprevented<br />
shearersmoving between the<br />
northernand southern<br />
PHOTOS: SUPPLIED<br />
hemisphereseach season.<br />
Many<strong>North</strong> Islandsheep<br />
farmershavealready movedinto<br />
Wiltshireand hair sheep,<br />
because their shearing costs were<br />
higher thantheir woolincome.<br />
Merinofarmersare now<br />
investing in them because they<br />
can’t getshearers,MrGowsaid.<br />
To caterfor demand,Mangapiri<br />
Downs willholdanauction on the<br />
BidrplatforminlateJanuary.<br />
It will thencarry on with<br />
privatesales.<br />
‘‘Wewant to putthisSouthland<br />
hairtypeShiresheep breed on<br />
the map.’’<br />
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