Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Volume 1 Number 3 March, 1960 Article 7

1-1-1960

Famous breeds. 3. The Leicester

J A. Mallett

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Recommended Citation Mallett, J A. (1960) "Famous sheep breeds. 3. The Leicester," Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4: Vol. 1 : No. 3 , Article 7. Available at: https://researchlibrary.agric.wa.gov.au/journal_agriculture4/vol1/iss3/7

This article is brought to you for free and open access by Research Library. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4 by an authorized administrator of Research Library. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Mr. O. G. A. Tanner's Grand Champion English Leicester ram at the 1959 Perth Royal Show

Mr. O. G. A. Tanner's Grand Champion English Leicester ewe at the 1959 Perth Royal Show

Journal of Agriculture Vol 1 No 3 1960 ^J~amoud ^heep d^reecU

3.-THE LEICESTER

by

J. A. MALLETT

HE Leicester sheep, often referred to in Australia as the "English" Leicester to T distinguish it from its relative, the Border Leicester, is the oldest of the improved British breeds. Its development from the nondescript local sheep marked an advance in stockbreeding technique which did much to make Britain famous as the "stud-farm of the world."

The Leicester is a breed that will always from about 1755 onward, with marked be associated with the name of Robert success. Bakewell of Dishley Grange Leicestershire, This "father of studbreeding" was a who has been aptly termed "the father secretive individual and little authoritative of British studbreeding." The Leicester information exists concerning his methods of the pre-Bakewell era was a lanky, slab- but it seems certain that his success was sided, raw-boned, slow-maturing animal, achieved by selecting suitable animals and valued more for its than its mutton inbreeding them and their progeny to a qualities, but Bakewell's Improved or degree that was frowned upon by breeders "Dishley Leicester" was a producer of that period. His critics, and they were par excellence, quick-maturing and sym­ many, voiced some caustic comments upon metrical. these "incestuous matings" but the results In the days when most of Britain's grain he achieved gained him many followers was sown, harvested and threshed by hand, and imitators. there was but little pasture as we know it Bakewell concentrated upon meat pro­ today and the of many owners duction, probably having realised that the grazed together on "common lands" where progressive industralisation of Britain, they interbred at will. Under these con­ then taking place, would result in a ditions it was almost impossible to improve rapidly-expanding market for foods of all stock by selection or by scientific feeding kinds. It was the era of large fat joints, and although a number of different breeds and the Dishley Leicester was developed to had been evolved to suit conditions in give a rapidly-maturing animal which particular districts, there was but little combined the fatness of maturity with the uniformity even within the breeds. tenderness usually associated with lamb. Bakewell fed his sheep well and grew root BREEDING AND FEEDING crops especially for them. With the introduction of land enclosure, We speak today of "progeny testing" as various individual stock owners embarked the only satisfactory index of an animal's upon programmes of breed improvement, true value, and Bakewell realised that too. and Bakewell, born in 1725, concentrated He used to hire out his rams to neighbour­ on Leicester sheep and Longhorn . ing farmers and closely observed the quality 209

Journal of Agriculture Vol 1 No 3 1960 of their "get." Early in his sheep-breeding Possibly his policy of in-and-in breeding career, the rams were let out for 17s. 6d. also resulted in some lack of sexual vigour a head but a few years later we find him in the rams and a lowering of the milk getting 100 guineas a head. production of the ewes, the best milkers In 1785 he let two-thirds of the service among ewes being usually found in the of one ram for 200 guineas. His highest more primitive or "unimproved" sheep rate was 800 guineas from two breeders except in a few breeds where breeding for for two-thirds of the season's services of milk production has taken place. his favourite ram. A "Dishley Society" was Whether these faults actually existed or formed which was incidentally the first not may be open to doubt, but if they did British breed society to come into being exist they seem to have been remedied by and members pledged themselves not to subsequent breeders. use rams which did not belong to Mr. The modern Leicester is a shapely- Bakewell or other members of the society. bodied sheep of sound constitution. Ac­ cording to present-day standards the meat IMPROVED MANY BREEDS is rather too coarse of grain and carries The Leicester in its improved form was too much fat to be popular in its mature highly prepotent and was used to improve stage though favoured as hogget mutton. many other "rough" longwool breeds then The various crossbreds with Leicester existing, and even some of the Downs parents give excellent mutton, and the breeds. It played a part in bringing the female progeny of ewes and Lincoln to its present state of near perfec­ Leicester rams produce excellent export tion; the popularity of the Border lambs when mated with rams of the Downs Leicester is due to its Dishley foundation breeds. and the and Romney Marsh sheep also benefited by infusions of Leicester blood. POINTS The Leicester played its part in improv­ The following recognised description of ing the early Australian flocks and soon the English Leicester is taken from the became a popular breed in the North flock book of the Australian Society of American settlements. Nearer home it re­ Breeders of British Sheep:— ceived a particularly favourable reception Head and Face.—Head carried well, not on the Yorkshire Wolds where the breed too high; neat, cleanly chiselled, wide was believed to have been introduced by between the ears, slightly tapering to the that famous sportsman and stockbreeder, nostrils; no sign of horns, and carrying a Sir Tatton Sykes of Sledmere. Today the light forelock. Face, in general, is wedge Wolds are the chief centres for Britain's shaped and covered with short white hairs; Leicester stock. lips and nostrils black; black specks on It was in the Wolds district, at Driffield face and ears not objectionable. in the East Riding of Yorkshire, that the Improved Leicester Sheepbreeders' As­ Eyes.—Full-sized and bright. sociation was formed about a hundred Ears.—Medium-sized and alert; black years later (1893) and it was soon after spots not objectionable. the formation of this breed society that the Leicester Flock Book came into being. Neck.—Medium length, strong and level with back. MEAT BEFORE WOOL Shoulders.—Upright and wide over the Bakewell's concentration on meat pro­ tops. duction in his Dishley Leicesters is claimed Chest.—Breast should be deep, wide, and by his critics to have led to a deterioration prominent. in the quality of the fleece, together with Back.—Wide and level, well filled up be­ some loss of prolificacy, for the production hind the shoulders, giving a great girth, of twin lambs was considered undesirable. He maintained that it was beyond the showing thickness through the heart, and capacity of any ewe to bring to their full carrying firm even flesh. foetal growth two such Iambs as he desired. Ribs.—Well sprung. 210

Journal of Agriculture Vol 1 No 3 1960 Hindquarters.—Full-sized and square, Constitution and General Appearance.— showing good legs of mutton; tail well set Alert, robust, showing style and charac­ on, almost level with the back. ter. Legs and Feet.—Legs straight, well set on Covering.—The Leicester carries a fairly and wide apart; short cannon bones, good weighty fleece of lustrous wool nine to ten inches in length and having a spinning pasterns, not sloping, and devoid of red­ count of 36-40 or finer. The average clean- dish hairs on legs; hoofs black. scoured yield is in the vicinity of 72 per Skin.—Healthy pink colour. cent, and the wool is dense and even in Carriage.—Free and active. good specimens of the breed, with the fibres carrying three to four well-defined Fleece.—Dense, free, even, and lustrous; crimps to the inch. The wool is especially lock medium width, showing small, well- valued for use in damasks, dress fabrics, defined wave or crimp from skin to tip. braids and bunting.

PIG LICE During the past 12 months action has been taken by the Department for the control and eradication of pig lice and the incidence of in­ festation as judged from market inspections has been considerable reduced. Progress has been retarded by the practice of some farmers of selling their pigs under ficti­ tious names as a means of avoiding taxation and where lice-infested consignments are in­ volved, it is not possible to trace the pigs to their source and to take action for the eradication of parasites. This situation can no longer be tolerated and at markets such as Northam, Merredin and Nar- rogin where it has become the practice to use fictitious names, action will be taken to prevent the sale of pigs found infested with lice until the owner has declared himself and his identity has been definitely established. It has been the policy to warn owners of in­ fested pigs upon the first offence and to furnish them with free information on eradication meas­ ures and to quarantine their properties should the offence be repeated. This has produced the desired effect and there have been few second offenders. It should be appreciated that a heavy infesta­ tion of lice can seriously retard the growth of young pigs and that it is in the best interests 01 the owner to keep his herd free of the para­ sites. 2U

Journal of Agriculture Vol 1 No 3 1960