LAMB QUALITY

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21717, 26 February 1936, Page 7

LAMB QUALITY

SOUTHDOWN SUPERIOR RESEARCH RESULTS An Auckland writer, noting the fact that Hawke’s Bay possesses a Dorset Horn flock of stud sheep, remarks that he does not think that the Dorset Horn cross lambs will ever successfully compete with the Southdown. A number of experiments have been carried out in Britain and Australia with the object of testing the qualities of various purebred rams, including the Dorset Horn, for crossing purposes, and in each case the Southdown ram still takes top place. In the Australian experiments, the report on the Dorset Horn cross stated that the lambs were a fine lot, but lacking in conformation, and many were placed as second quality on that account. The points of the shoulders were not well covered, and there was a falling away of the hindquarters. As to the Southdown cross, the report states that the outstanding feature of the Southdown cross lamb is that no other approaches it in weight of carcase as compared with the live weight. The quality of the meat is excellent and in no part of the carcase is there a superabundance of fat in proportion to the lean meat. There are other breeds of rams that will produce heavier lamb carcases,, but, as a rule, these heavier lambs lack the quality of meat and type of carcase that are greatly appreciated by British customers. British Experiments In a recent report by Mr E. J. Roberts, M.A., M.Sc., University College,

Bangor, North Wales, on experiments in crossing the Welsh ewe with various rams, he stated: “On the whole the Southdown cross proved most successful. The lambs did not grow to the same weight as those by Border Leicester rams, but they realised the same price. The compact, well-covered carcase of the Southdown is favoured by most butchers. One need’only examine the results of the carcase competition of the Smithfield Club to realise that the Southdown carcase is considered by the London and provincial butchers to be the one that is nearest the ideal.” Experiments at Ruakura Some years ago experiments were carried out at the Ruakura Farm of Instruction for several years with various rams, including the Dorset Horn, Southdown, Shropshire Down, Ryeland, Border Leicester and English Leicester. The Southdown cross lamb secured the top position. The Border Leicester occasionally produced the heaviest carcases, but as compared with the Southdown carcases there was much to be desired in the quality of the flesh, particularly in the distribution of the fat. The Border Leicester cross lamb handled well on the loin, which was mainly due to too much fat on the chops. The Dorset Horn cross lamb .was found to bo a good thriver, and

the meat was of good quality, but the conformation of the carcase was inferior to that of the Southdown cross. It was also found that the Dorset Horn sheep were specially suspectible to attacks of foot-rot. None of the crosses approached the Southdown in the percentage of weight of carcase to live weight. SHOW DATES February 28—Kaikoura. March 14—Mayfield. March 14—Cheviot. March 21—Temuka and Geraldine. March 24—Amuri. at Waiau. March 27—Hawarden. March 28—Methven. April 2 —Oxford, April 13—Mackenzie Country, at Fairlie. April 16—Malvern, at Sheffield,

AUTUMN EWE FAIRS The following are the dates of the North and Mid-Canterbury ewe fairs for 1936: March 2—Amberley. March s—Hawarden. March 9—Little River. March 10—Waiau. March 12 —Culverden. March 13—Methven. March 16—Tinwald. March 16—Kaikoura (ram and ewe). March 17—Sheffield. March 18—Ashburton (ram). March 19 and 20—Christchurch (ram). March 23—Oxford. March 24 —Coalgate. March 27—Rakaia. April 6—Waiau Supplementary Sale. April 7 —Culverden Supplementary Sale. Do you want to sell your home? Read and use ‘The Press” Classified Advertisements. The quickest route between Buyer and Seller. 11*. words Is, 3 insertiom &fel ; HI