Lamb Percentage Down This Year

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32116, 11 October 1969, Page 9

Lamb Percentage Down This Year

Lambing percentages in Canterbury this season have generally been lower than usual, but good weather throughout August and September has contributed to a very satisfactory survival rate.

In spite of lean feed conditions in many districts, fewer lambing problems have been reported. A good average lambing has been reported in North Canterbury. The veterinarian at Waikari (Mr M. E. A. Cartridge) said this week that while the percentage of lambs dropped was down, the percentage of survivals was up. There were quite a number of properties with a lambing percentage of 110 to 115. Some cases of sleepy sickness were reported during the early stages of lambing in the Waipara County, but Mr Cartridge said there were virtually no other problems. By and large, this would have been one of the easiest lambing seasons in terms of trouble at lambing time, he said.

The two main factors contributing to this were the absence of any storms, and the fact that ewes were in lighter, and more active condition. Several cases of abortion in ewes were reported in this area last year, but this spring, Mr Cartridge bad only two properties with this complaint This. was most unusual, as in an average season, there would be 10 to 15 cases. There had been no cases of toxoplasmosis—infectious abortion.

Malvern Lambing Lambing in the Malvern area has followed a similar pattern: the number of twins is lower, but there have been less losses at lambing. A veterinarian of the Malvern Veterinary Club said this week that while the better survival rate had helped to compensate for the lower percentage, the final figure would be down on last year. In the Darfield district, the lambing percentage had varied from farm to farm. The same variation applied to the Hororata district. The weather had been excellent

Some cases of vibrio setus (abortion) have been reported in the Malvern area. The veterinarian said this variety was on the increase, although toxoplasmosis used to be more common. On one farm in the area, 500 ewes out of a flock of

2300 had been affected by vibrio setae. A variable pattern of lambing has been reported in the Ashburton County. As in Malvern it has varied from farm to farm, with some properties having a good number of twins, and others mainly singles. A veterinarian of the Ashburton Veterinary Club said this week that one of the main features of the lambing was the number of big singles born, and the number of ewes that had to be assisted at lambing. Over the whole county, however, the percentage for the season is expected to be down on last year. Light Condition There have been reports of ewes losing quite a lot of condition after lambing—a factor attributed to the feed being too soft Breeding cows in beef herds have bad more troubles than breeding ewes, in some parts of Ashburton County. The veterinary spokesman said some breeding cows had fared worse than the sheep during the season. Many of the cows were too light; they did not carry enough condition to sustain them over the last fortnight before calving. This had led to metabolic problems such as milk fever and grass staggers. In spite of the season, an abnormally high percentage of calves is reported in some herds. One farmer reported that of the first 20 eows to calve, there were five sets of twins.

Percentage Improves Ewes with lambs at foot, which have been offered in large numbers at Addington this spring, give a fair indication of lambing percentages in various districts. During July and August, many of the ewes offered had a bare 100 per cent of lambs at foot, and sometimes less. But as the season progressed, the percentage of lambs improved. According to a Rangiora report there were some problems in early lambing ewes peculiar to a hard season. One farmer who lambed early in July reported a good percentage of twins, but because the ewes were much lighter than usual, they were not showing the usual mothering abilities. There had been losses in twins.