A Good Lambing

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29994, 1 December 1962, Page 6

A Good Lambing

ESTIMATES of lambing percentages in Canterbury in the current season were released this week by the livestock superintendent of the Department of Agriculture in Christchurch, Mr M. C. Armstrong. These estimates show that in some counties the lambing has been slightly better than last year and in others not quite so good. In general, however, it seems that in possibly a majority of districts there has been a slight advance. A number of areas on the lower country have achieved lambings of between 110 and 120 per cent, on the basis of these figures. It is obvious that both seasons have been very satisfactory ones from a lambing point of view. In Waimairi county, for instance, this year's estimate is 119.3 per cent. This is about 4 per cent, up on last year. In Ellesmere county the most recent lambing is estimated at 1187 per cent., which is about 3J per cent, better. In Rangiora county at an estimated 116,9 per cent., the lambing is very similar to last year. Kowai county average is put at 114.4 per cent., which is fractionally lower, and Levels county, in South Canterbury, at 114.2 per cent., also slightly below last year's average. On the plains of Ashburton county there has been a

rise of about 1 per cent to 114.5 per cent., but the high country lambing in this area is expected to be slightly below last year's level. On the low country in Geraldine county the estimate is 114.2 per cent., which is also lower than last year, and the high country estimate for this district is also behind last year at 88.3 per cent. Areas to show big improvements this year include Halswell, which has advanced from 957 per cent, last year to 107.3 per cent., and Heathcote which has gone from 90 7 per cent, to 101.4 per cent. On the other hand. Buller has dropped 10 per cent, to 93, and Grey by about 7 per cent, to 100.3.

Other estimates, with last year’s for comparison in parenthesis, are.—Amuri: low country 107 3 (106.2), high country 78a (76 9), county average 95.3 (915). Cheviot: 104.6 (102.3). Eyre: 112.7 (111.9) Mackenzie: low 104 (103.9) high 82 ( 79.5), average 95.1 (92.91. Malvern: 110.7 (111.2). Oxford: low 1114 (111.3), high 1049 (966), county average 110.3 (108.1). Paparua: 108.3 (103.9). Selwyn: low 105.8 (108.9), high 88 (90.6). county average 99.2 (102.2). Springs: 110.1 (111.2). Tawera: low 102.1 (99), high 85.2 ( 84.2), average 95 5 (88 4). Waimate: 111.7 (108.1). Wairewa: 104.52 (97.8).