RAISING FAT LAMBS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19721, 22 August 1927, Page 15

RAISING FAT LAMBS.

BREEDING AMD FEEDING. I SO?.!E MODERN METHODS. ATT<-i» * i THE i-'w'-iS. Mr Gordon Hoinies, whose rc«_uui con- i eicunient of i.si)'iat lambs Hum the Maukn ] district, Auckland, roused such i'avuuraule j comment in the London market, contn- | butes the following article: —The ewes; selected preferably should be 4-tooth to j five-year-old, these, ages giving the high-j «st percentage of lambs and less trouble j during lambing. They should be as low j pet as possible, thus meeting the present demand when crossed with a black-faced ram, i° r small compact lambs. i'hey need not be in very good condition so long as they are placed on good feed a short time before and while the ram is with them. In' fact, it is preferable to have them under condition than over, as they flush up js muc.h better, and in consequence take the ram readily and give a higher percentage. The ram used on the class of ewe generally obtained in the North Island, and found to give very satisfactory results, js the Southdown. Here care in selection one of the main points of the fat lamb breeder. Quite 75 per cent, of the sire's qualities are displayed in their progeny. As a ram will at least iasi four seasons, a guinea or two spent on him is money veil invested. A ram from a good fati t-ening strain in which his progeny make only ~£d per lb. more than ones from a cheaper ram, soon return the extra money main points in selecting rams should be a bold masculine type < head, short of leg, deep and broad-chested, well- j sprung ribs, and low-set hams. When climatic conditions allow they should be put with the' ewes early in February. This will enable lambs' to be shipped late jn November, or early in December, and so obtain the best market prices in LonDuring tripping many breeders put too many rams with their ewes at once. This the "writer considers a mistake. When " the paddocks are small not more than one ram to 60 ewes should be turned out. "\lanv breeders put out more rams in proportion, with the result that a great deal of fighting takes place among them. VY hen this occurs these rams are not nearly as fit for their work, Should one think that ■/ these extra rams are necessary, it is better to keep them in reserve. Put them in and take the others out after a few days. Thev can thus be changed all through the season. Even where not more "than one to 60 is'used it is always veil to have a ram or two in reserve. Condition of Ewes. In all flocks there is generally a ewe or two which take the ram continuously. Thev will generally be found in some corner of a paddock with one* or more rams in attendance. These ewes should be removed at once as the rams will not look for other ewes. Many breeders only keep the rams in with ewes seven weeks. This, no doubt, is, good practice as you know when they will finish lambing. The writer leaves tliem until crutchmg time, preferring a late lamb to an empty ewe. Ewes tripped under these conditions should at least give 100 per cent, of lambs. . . After the first month, or six weeks, with the rams, the ewes may be found to be putting on too much condition, and if not carefullv watched they will Decome too fat.* When this occurs they will give a great deal of trouble at lambing time. In top-dressed country where the feed is good, and large numbers carried oer a re, they should be changed very frequently from paddock to paddock, say, every four days. The more exercise thev get the-"better health they will he in "when lambing time comes round. Too much importance cannot be attached to the feeding and exercise ci ewes in lamb. Not only do they better-grown and healthier offspring at birth, but lamb much easier, and few losses occur. When crut-chine thev should be carried out of the nen verv' carefully. When thev are so treated crutching can be left to within a month of lambing. I'he longer they can be left without crntchine the less wool thev will have when the spring growth starts, and will be cleaner at shearing • time. Troubles Eequiring Attention. As lambing timv approaches it may be found that a fr.ir number of ewes are suffering from what is commonly called tearing down, trouble chiefly caused from the ewes being too fat and having insufficient exercise. As soon as this is noticed the- ewes should at once be put m a yard or pen in the shed. Ihe writer prefers to let them stop for five or six hours, allowing them to get rid of some of their feed before attempting to replace the tearing. However, this is a matter of opinion. The easiest way, when one is working by oneself, is to place, a rope Hround the two hind legs, and then place the end over a rafter and hoist the stern portion of 'the sheep far enough ofi the floor to allow bearing to be pressed ba'-k into niaee. It should be carefully washed, a weak solution of disinfectant in warm water being used, and before pressing back, well oiled with . carbolic oil. l" w0 stitches generally are sufficient, using strong .nen thread. * The ewe can then be let go in a yard or nen for another six hours without anything to eat. < Aftei* this it can ie placed in a small paddock with not too much feed in it, and carefuhy watched until she has lambed, when no more trouble should* occur Dealing with Lambs. As soon as the ewes commence to lamb they should be gone round at least once a day, preferably twice. AH lambs a day or more old should wwii their mothers be removed to another padock, e ewes having twin iambs being placed in & paddock where the feed is especially good. Every few days these lambs can be ear marked. It will be found that a lambs so dealt with at so young iin age, do not suffer so much as lambs do, say at a month old and what is very much to Ihe benefit to the faitener, do not receive anv appreciable check. It will be noted that only the twin lambs and their mothers are put into extra good feed. The reason I do not believe in putting the singles on such good feed is because he has noticed, as other breeders have, that the biggest and best lambs are apt to die, and this in spite of early docking. The danger appears to be intensified it the lambs are put on to very good feed before they/are at least six weeks ol . When twin lambs are put on good feed there is seldom, if ever, a loss, the rea son seemingly being that twin lambs are not overfed. It would be interesting to know if others have noticed the same thing. Docking Hints. When docking, the knife and earmarkers should be kept in some good disinfectant. The lambs should be let go on to grass and not into a yard. Ihe latter place, being dusty and dirty, is liable to carry infection which the lambs pick up, blood poisoning, etc. L ntil the single lambs are at least si.s weeks old. they and their mothers are not put on too good a feed. If they are it is only for a short time and then they are taken off In this way the ewes do not produce too much milk, and experience has proved that the death of big lambs has been greatlv reduced The twin lambs, as already stated, are kept on the best feed all the time, and there are practically no deaths This seems to point to the fact the loss of big lambs is caused greatly by over feeding Until about six weeks old, the single lambs obtain more milk than they car. digest.

In spite of the twin lambs being on thte best of feed, the single lambs will always be in advance of them, and will be ready to go away sooner. But given a week or Bo longer, the twin lambs will be just 6s good in every way.