Earlier Drafting Of Lambs Urged

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30886, 20 October 1965, Page 11

Earlier Drafting Of Lambs Urged

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, Oct. 18.

Farmers should seriously consider drafting fat lambs earlier to prevent over-fatness, said a statement by the Meat Board.

A study of the last two seasons by the economic service of the Meat and Wool Boards indicated that the problem of over-fat lambs was not one of breeding but of management and the time of drafting, said the statement. The study embraced Hawke’s Bay, Manawatu, Canterbury and Southland farms on which there was an average of 6.3 per cent over-fat lambs.

The first draft of lambs was found to be the most vulnerable. This appeared to be because of farmers’ reluctance to disturb their stock by drafting more frequently. In addition, where the farmer aimed to get the maximum number of lambs picked in the first draft, many early single lambs were over-fat.

It was also found that on lighter land with clover dominant pastures there was a tendency for early single lambs to become over-fat, the statement said. On other properties, over-stock-ing appeared to result Un overfeeding, the statement said. In addition to the first drafts it was shown that overfat lambs occurred in late drafts where lambs had been carried over for finishing on supplementary feed.

On the farms studied, a variety of breeds and crosses of rams were used. Overfatness could not be blamed on any particular breed. To avoid the loss through

having lambs graded out as overfat, farmers should ensure that their drafter held back lambs likely to be overfat, the statement said.