LAMBING EWES AT NIGHT.

Kaikoura Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 60, 3 August 1944, Page 2

LAMBING EWES AT NIGHT.

REDUCTION OF MORTALITY. Experience has proved the wisdom of making every possible provision for saving lambs born during the night. Any labour-saving device which will keep the ewe and lamb in reasonable safety until more attention can be given in daylight should be tried out (states a bulletin issued by Alassey Agricultural College). Small covered-in shelters in the corners of lambing paddocks are invaluable for saving time and lambs, be-

cause ewes and lambs needing attention in daylight can be put there at night in temporary safety. Where full individual attention cannot be given immediately at night, canvas covers such as can be bought for about 1/6 each have saved many lambs which would not otherwise have seen the light of morning. These covers have proved a labour and lamb saver to many farmers. They can be used over and over again in the one season and will last for several seasons with reasonable care. It is estimated that one in every three lambs which have been covered at night would have died without that protection; and a stud lamb has a potential value of frony three to five guineas and a flock lamb of 20/. Every lamb saved over and above those which normally would have been kept alive represents net profit. Attention to the lambing ewes is just as important at night as during daylight, and where Irbour is available, it can profitably be used on a day-and-night shift system. Night lambing figures taken out on the College farm in a recent season gave the following interesting results:—Stud flock of 180 Romneys: Ewes lambed at night 57, ewes assisted, 31 lambs saved where loss possible, 56 (25 twin and 6 singles). Stud flock of 180 Southdowns: Lambed at night, 65, ewes assisted 37, lambs saved 57 (21 twins and 16 singles). Stud flock of 110 Ryelands: Lambed at night 30, ewes assisted 18 (60 per cent.), lambs saved 28 (10 twins and 8 singles). Total stud lambs saved 141, at a potential value of £740 5/. It will be noted that assistance in lambing had to be given to a high proportion of ewes with twin lambs. Whe're there was likely to be serious tiouble in delivery of the first of each pair of twins, the second one has in each case been classed as likely to have been stillborn.