Meat & Wool Innovation provides information and technology to make New Zealand sheep farming more profitable: "Moore et al (1983) mated a total of 529 Romney, Coopworth and Perendale hoggets to Southdown rams in 1979 and 1980. They reported:
Hoggets that lambed were 2 � 4kg lighter at weaning in mid-December than hoggets that did not lamb. However, there was no difference in two-tooth pre-mating weight, reflecting the preferential treatment given to lambing hoggets in this study.
Hoggets that lambed produced up to 0.14kg less wool at shearing in February but had higher lambing and weaning rates as two-year-olds than hoggets that did not lamb. "

Early Faming: "At first transport was definitely a problem and sheep could be moved to and from the district only on the hoof. The transport of the wool clip for a large part of the journey by sledges was a difficult and tedious process. Nowadays the better roads and the use of motor transport to the railhead, has revolutionised the problem, with the development of a definite industry in raising sheep for mutton. In this connection a paragraph in the Otago Daily Times of 1st June 1939 is of interest; �Sheep farmers interested in fat lamb raising in the surrounding districts will be interested to know that Messr Crossan Bros have established a Southdown stud on their property at Roxburgh East. Many settlers in this locality, where irrigation and pasture improvement have been carried on, are turning their attention to the breeding of fat lambs, and. the Southdown ram has produced an excellent lamb when mated with the local ewes, The purchase of the sheep was made by Dalgety and Company Limited, whose stud stock officer selected 40 ewe from the flocks of Messrs J.M. and J.Brooks of �Brookside�. Before the sheep left Canterbury they were mated with specially selected rams, and the whole consignment which arrived in good condition last Saturday, should form the nucleus of a good stud, which should prove an acquisition to the district and a sound investment to these enterprising breeders.�"

Wrightson KNOW HOW: "This year Kapenga is running 1200 ewe hoggets (about 200 more than usual) - partially to compensate for a higher mortality rate from hogget lambing.
Ewe hoggets are mated to a Southdown ram. 'I hadn't seen Southdown for years,' says Meade. 'But we wanted a sire that would produce a small lamb (for lambing ease) that would mature quickly once it hit the ground.'
The choice of the Southdown was justified by good lamb weights last season. Lambs from the ewe hoggets that did lamb were weaned in January and half were killed off-mum at 16.8kg cwt.
As part of a 'Sheep for Profit' programme run with a local vet centre, liveweights of the ewe hoggets are being closely monitored and regular blood tests are taken to monitor animal health. "