Sheep husbandry in Canada

Abstract

SHEEP HUSBANDRY IN CANADAHISTORICAL REVIEW THE sheep industry in Canada dates back almost to the beginning of her agriculture, for the first settlers, as soon as they were able to do so, established little flocks of sheep to supply both food and clothing for their families.The first sheep to come to Canada, according to record, were brought from France in the middle of the seventeenth century. Others followed from time to time during the French regime, but for nearly one hundred years afterwards no other sheep were brought in. These French sheep were small, and are said to have much resembled the Cheviot in size and conformation, particularly in the shape of the head, while the quality and weight of the fleece were much the same.Toward the end of the eighteenth century, colonies of United Empire Loyalists that settled in the Maritime Provinces, Quebec and Ontario, brought with them from New York, Pennsylvania and other Eastern States, such sheep as were common in the districts from which they came. These, as a rule, were grades of the leading English breeds in those days, including Cotswold, Leicester, Hampshire and Southdown. As early as 1830, British immigrants commenced to bring small stocks of sheep, and by these the quality of the established Canadian flocks was improved. About the year 1842, a small number of Leicesters and Cotswolds were imported from England, and a few years later, Southdowns began to appear. From that time onward, shipments were landed almost every year. A report of the first provincial exhibition held in Toronto in 1846 states that the exhibits of Leicesters and Southdowns were of excellent quality and well adapted to the country. Two years later, in addition to the two breeds already named, Merinos were shown at the provincial exhibition. The numbers increased year by year, until the exhibit at London in 1854 amounted to 400 head, divided as follows: Leicesters, 200; Southdowns, 44; Cotswolds, 30; the last named being newly imported by George Miller, of Markham. In addition to a small exhibit of Cheviots, made that year by George Ruddick, of Northumberland county, the remainder consisted of grades. The following year the show of Leicesters was not quite so large but the entries of Southdowns, Cotswolds and Cheviots were more numerous than heretofore. The prize winners were as follows: