SHEARING OF LAMBS

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22108, 2 June 1937, Page 6

SHEARING OF LAMBS

SOUTHLAND EXPERIMENT A good deal of interest was created a few weeks ago at the Addington fat lamb sale by the appearance of several pens of shorn lambs. The lambs were prime and appeared to have suffered no set-back from the shearing operation, and with the value of the wool added on to that of the carcase, they made prices which =v.ould hai'e paid fnr the extra wo'k. The practice is a general one in the North Island, where the season is earlier and where the lambs are got away before the cold weather. In Southland, hoover an exneriment has been carried out on a large scale on Sir William Hunt's Titipua property, where a few lambs had been shorn last season to try out the practice. It was found, according to the agricultural, writer in the "Southland Times" that the lambs suffered no check through the shearing and fattened even more rapidly than the unshorn lambs. The results were so satisfactory that the manager, Mr "W. E. Hunt, decided this season to shear the whole flock of about 6000. the work* being commenced at weaninjr time, about the middle of January. Of the total shorn about 3000 were ewe lambs, which are beinc carried through as stores, and four months after shearing they are extremely well developed and probably equal to any lines of ewe lambs to be found in the province. They have a good covering of wool and will not suffer during the winter months from insufficient protection against the weather. There will probably actually be an advantage to be gained at next shearing as the wool will not be tipped, as is most hogget wool, and so far as this section of the flock is concerned the shearing may well prove financially beneficial to the grower. The wethers benefited equally and were sent away in two drafts to the freezing works. Perhaps one of the reasons for the success of the experiment was the fact that ■■ the season was unusually wet and the normal fleeces of the lambs would have remained wet through the summer and autumn, but after shearing the lambs would be drier and healthier. The last draft of 800 was finally fattened on kale and the remainder of the lambs, which is now reduced to 180. will go to the works within a fortnight. One pleasing feature was that the lambs were particularly healthy and there was a definitely lower deathrate than is normal for so large a flock. The second draft of wether lambs went to the freezing works at the beginning of last week, and averaged 351b. The earlier larger draft was heavier. Although he received the benefit of the lamb wool, which netted a good price, the grower lost a compensating amount on the lambs sent to the freezing works, but even if the returns were only equal. Mr Hunt considered that the results Justified the shearing because of the faster progress made by the lambs. The Titipua estate is rolling country and consequently provides shelter. Also it is comparatively near the coast where early frosts are not so severe as further inland. Many Southland farmers will probably prefer to hear the results of further experiments before venturing to adopt the practice generally, but it is clear that during the present season the shearing has been successful.

The utilisation of wheaten straw for the manufacturing of articles possessing cellulose as a base was favoured by the Australian Wheatgrowers' Federation recently. A request will be sent to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research for a full investigation to be made. One speaker explained that approximately 90 per cent, of wheaten straw consisted of cellulose. This was used in the manufacturing of many articles, some of the chief being explosives, paper, and photographic films. The Rakaia Ploughing Match will be held on Thursdav. .Tulv 22.