Pastures Past: Coloured fleece debate at NZ Sheepbreeders’ Association meeting in 1911

Over the years humble black sheep has earned its rightful place in the flock. Photo / Glenn Taylor

Kem Ormond takes a look at the world of farming back in the day.

When a white sheep gives birth to a black lamb, it’s usually due to genetics.

Sheep have different colour genes that determine their coat colour.

The colour of the lamb is inherited from both the mother and the father, even if one or both parents have a white coat.

Coloured sheep have always been a bit of a mystery, especially in a white flock that has been meticulously culled of any sheep even with the smallest of black spots.

Sometimes the purer the flock, the more black sheep that have appeared, as shown in an NZ Herald article in 1926.

In 1911, the NZ Herald reported that coloured sheep weren’t allowed to be exhibited at any South Island show.

Over the years coloured fleeces have been well sought after by spinners and weavers and the humble black sheep has earned its rightful place in the flock.

Faking show sheep

The coloured fleece.

New Zealand Herald, March 24, 1911

[Bt telegraph.—Own correspondent]

Christchurch, Thursday.

At the annual meeting of the New Zealand Sheepbreeders’ Association, Mr. H. D. Vavasour (Blenheim) moved, “That no member of the association shall exhibit sheep at any show in the South Island that are coloured, and all sheep dipped within four months of their being exhibited shall be deemed to be artificially coloured. This shall apply to Down breeds only.”

In speaking to the motion, Mr. Vavasour said that the association should fall into line with the views expressed at the annual meeting of the A. and P. Association last year.

That association had issued a general instruction that if judges awarded a prize it was to be their opinion that the sheep were not artificially coloured.

If a sheep was not worthy of being shown in its natural colour, it was not worthy of being shown at all.

Mr. T. S. Little contended that the question was outside the sphere of the association altogether, and was a matter entirely concerning the A. and P. Association.

An army of inspectors would be needed, and endless bother would be caused.

The Chairman said that he would like to see the motion amended in the direction of rejecting from the Flock Book any member of the association permanently disqualified by any A. and P. association.

Mr. H. V. Fulton pointed out that, according to the Stock Act, sheep must be dipped in certain months of the year, and if the proposal were carried, how were breeders to comply with the Act?

The motion was lost on the voices.

Black Sheep

New Zealand Herald, March 12, 1926

In his “Sheep Farm and Station Management,” E. H. Pearse gives two instances of wholly black flocks.

One belonged to William Allan of the Darling Downs.

He noticed that the purer the flock the more often black sheep appeared among them, notwithstanding the culling of every sheep showing a coloured spot.

He concluded therefrom that probably the original Merino strain had been principally black.

He, therefore, mated black sires and black ewes, and in every case black lambs resulted.

The wool was remarkably good, and, in the opinion of the owner, the black sheep were hardier and more active than the white.

This wool sold in London in 1885 up to 18½d per lb., considerably more than the average at that time for white Merino.

Another and more recent instance quoted, is that of K. P. Abbott, near Blandford, N.S.W.

Both these men, for their black flocks, selected only sheep which had a black tongue and mouth.

Figures given in regard to Mr. Abbott’s flock are interesting.

In 1911 his whole clip of white wool averaged 10.46d per lb., whereas the black averaged 10.58d.

In weight, too, the black clip was a little superior.

It is said that black sheep fatten as well as white and are equally good eating, but that a black flock will not mix for long with a white one.

They soon go their separate ways.

Black sheep

Reason for colour

Domestication result

Gisborne Herald, August 31, 1946

Most town dwellers and many in the farming community have wondered at times why black lambs have been born in a white flock, and the answer is given in an article written by Mr. R. E. Alexander, Government veterinarian, Gisborne, in a recent issue of the New Zealand Journal of Agriculture.

The explanation of the appearance of a certain proportion of black or partially coloured lambs is that originally all sheep fleeces were pigmented and white sheep are the result of domestication and controlled breeding.

The occurrence of noticeably coloured sheep in station flocks is however very low.

In 1942 it was about .04 per cent, and spots bearing black or brown wool occurred in over 5 percent of sheep.

Probably a single pair of genetic factors control the situation.

If a coloured animal is mated with a white sheep the offspring will be white, but if the offspring are mated some of their progeny will show pigmentation.

- Source: Papers Past