AN EXPERIMENT

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 183, 29 April 1924, Page 3

AN EXPERIMENT

CONVEYANCE OF LAMBS BY MOTOR LORRY

Experiments have recently been conducted by the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board with a. view U determining the difference in the condition of lambs arrving at freezing works by motor-lorry as compared with la.mbs which have been driven. lhese tgsts have been made on lambs delivered by Mr Frank Wall, of Martinborough, who offered to allow these experiments to be made on lambs from his property, and the results should be of great interest to farmers throughout the Dominion. The drafts of lambs tested were weaned lambs—the board had, earlier m the season, made tests on lambs off their mothers,” but as the season Jas too far advanced they were not satisfactory—and further tests will bo made at the commencement of next seas with the first drafts ‘ off their The first line of weaned lambs tested consisted of 88 Down cross and 140 Pomnevs. These lambs, which were nff turnrps, were drafted 'n March 1, and after they . they were nut back on the turnips until 3 p.m. me s «>■» “ «s“ u. S x tance from th, r 0 slaughter-

41 Woolly lambs 73 Shorn lambs 714 Tt may be noted l k at sible to have railed these lamb- g " iihoi, o. kI,M “ the following day:— £ g d

£l62 10 H "These driven lambs were actually four days on the road, and the total cost of droving was £5. Under ordinary circumstances, however, a small lot ot 114 lambs would not be driven this distance, but would be linked up with other lots of lambs, and the size of the mob would govern the cost of droving, so in actual practice 255. would be a fair estimate to place against them as a droving cost. During the time these lambs we:e bein" driven to the works the weather was ponnal, a careful drover had charge of them, and there was a fair picking of feed on the road and plenty of water. As compared with a larger mob a small lot of lambs like these would travel much better on the road, and would probably arrive in better condition. A further test was made on lambs from this same station at the end of March, and the results arc as follow:—

10 Woolly lambs 100 Shorn lambs 110 Tlie grading of both tests was sirpeiintended by the board’s supervising grader. . For the purposes of making a comparison in valuis, both drafts have been treated as woolly on the basis of woolly prices.

as follows:— 104 Primes. 421b. and at 93d under • ••• , 4 Primes, 431b. ana g}d. 6 ... at Hd. 4201 114 Average, 36.81b. Less lorry charnes. £ s. d. 155 0 6 6 17 3 7W 11 £169 8 6 17 8 9

92 Primes, 421b. and. under 4 Primes, 431b. and 32971b. at. 93d. 1771b. at 91 d. 133 18 10 6 16 5 over 18 Rp.ennd-class ... 6171b. at 83d. 22 9 11 114 4(591 Average. 35.81b. . £163 5 2 Less estimated share of drovjne 1 5 0 41 Woolly lambs 73 Shorn lambs

Lorry Lot Killed March 109 Primes, 421b. and under 38061b. at 9;,-d» 1 Second-class, ... 32lb. at 8£d. 31: £ s. d. 154 12 4 1 3 4 110 383’8 £155 15 8 Average. 34.891b. lorry charges. 25 miles at 12 Is. 2id. per lamb 6 11 £149 2 9 9 Woolly lambs 101 Shorn lambs 110 Driven Lot, Killed April 4: £ e. d. 105^X’ 421b - and 35511b.,at9 3 d. 144 5 2 1 Prime, 431b. and 451b . at 4 Second-class ... 1201b., at 8jd1 14 8 4 7 b 3716 £150 7 4 Average 33.781b. Less estimated share of droving 1 5 0 £149 2 4