Growth Performance Of Lambs Under Discussion

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29246, 2 July 1960, Page 8

Growth Performance Of Lambs Under Discussion

THERE was no doubt that in ■* CCCbflt . years there had been a tremendous upsurge in meat production, Mr K. G. Haughey, senior veterinarian of the Ashburton Veterinary Club, said at the Rakaia winter farm Course this week, but fundamentally it was due to mote sheep'being hifi on more HeMwatfifife laltd. had been brought Into Use, This triiant that the efficiency of the ffiAfiS Of production had been impfflVed blit little attention had been given to improving the efficiency of the animal. centages of seconds in the kill at the Fairfield freezing works over a aeries at years, These iMieated that la some seasons nfor-e titan 46 per Cent of all iaffifis Weffe seconds and that the ptfcental of seconds Increased as toe kitting season advanced. Mr Haughey also pointed out that lambs killed Ute ■to the stason WCte nd heavier thin those 'killed earlier 6nd Wert Often lighter, In those respects he taid that the perforffianee of New Zealand lames had not changqd much Since 1908. Matters Which WCTe Worthy of considefatiofi, B 6 Sflid, InCltidCd of weight gain. Selection 61 superior hi At producers ifi the broiler industry had given a bird that could give lib of meat for 31b of teed compared with lib of meat for 51b of feed earlier bn. The tame approach had beeh made hi the American beef industry and on a small scale it had been started in New ZeaUhd. Similarly the Lahdraice

pig had been shoWh supefior lo others in converting feed to meat, in Haughey recalled that Prt>» lessor Harber, an American Ful» bright scholar, had told him of a strata of iambs at Purdue Uni* versify that at five to seven months of age Could put ob lib of weight a any. The best that Could be done in New Zealand was 31b*a Week.

Td a questioner Mr. Haughey said that one Of the main reasons why New Zealand lambs did not grow well might be that they did. not have the ability to grow.

. Mr Haughey said that the AawcteaA lambs -had certainly been in the feed lot but those similarly fed at Ruakura had dime no better than 31b> a week It Similar age.

Mr M. R. Hill, a Scientific officer at the Wihchmore irrigation Research Station, said that at the Hurley research • station in Berkshire a worker reported that the average weight gain of his single lambs at 28 days Was 241 b, The lambs from good mothers put oh SOIB ahd those Which the Worker Classified as poor indeed put on 2Blb..The average gain for all single Romney lambs dropped St .Winehffiore last season was Ohly 181 b to 28 days. It WHS in the pte-weaning stage that the weakness of New Zealand tombs lay and as this was due to the milking ability of the eWes it opened up another ex.tTemely important field of research. he said.