SHEEP INDUSTRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20538, 12 April 1930, Page 20

SHEEP INDUSTRY.

RAISING OF FAT LAMBS.

ATTENTION TO TYPES

QUALITIES IN THE RAM

B? H. B. T.

If one attends almost any ram fanthroughout the North Island, ho is forced to recognise the great and growing popularity of the Southdown ram. Within a very few years the business of breeding half bred Southdown-Romney lambs solely for fattening for the export market has grown to such dimensions that they are now almost as many of theso popular Downs put out with tljc ewes as there are Romney. Unfortunately as a result of ♦ his popularity a great many inferior rams of this breed are used.

The only typo of Southdown that gets really good lambs for tlio early season export trade is low set 011 legs that are noL too heavy in the bon.o; has a mediumlength body, very broad and moderately deep, with ribs so well "sprung," or bowed-out, that the forelegs are wide apart, having room ! for a wide brisket carried well forward of the front legs. The loin, too, is broad and flat, and the straight line of the back carried well out to the set-on of the tail. With short legs and a wide loin one always gets good meaty legs of mutton, the most valuable portion of the carcase. Willi such a sheep tho bark line is carried forward straight along a short, thick neck, to a broad, short bead. Importance ot Type in Ewes. In choosing Sonthdown rams for the production of lambs that are to he fattened, wool need hardly be taken into consideration at af 11. The shape of the carcase and features indicating early maturity are all important. r I ho narrow and leggy Southdown that carries a. longish narrow head high in the air should he avoided even thojigh he carried as much vvool as a Romnrf.'.

Though because of the breeds' pre

potency or tendency to slump iLs own likeness on its progeny oven when crossed with other breeds, the Southdown will produce an improved type of lamb for fattening when crossed with tho most, ungainly mves, a big part, of the success of breeding lambs fur fattening depends on the choice of the ewes with which he. is to be mated. To understand the reason for this one must realise that small to medium-sized sheep with bone always reach maturity earlier and fatten more readily than big boned, and framed animals. 'lbis is particularly so where tho light-boned sheep are shout in the leg and have well sprung ribs. The progeny of ewes of this type which have been mated with a good Southdown ram will fatten two or three weeks earlier than larnbs dropped at the same, time 011 the same pasture but from bigi-boned ewes. " Sfliiall-boned" Sheep. In choosing ewes when these are being purchased to put to tho Southdown ram, a good, safo plan is to look for animals with a certain type of head. A short and fairly tfroad head will bo found to be an unvariajjle feature of a sheep with short neck, 'wide and deep body and short legs-the ttypo that is everywhere recognised as a "good doer." If Hie bone is moderately small, the ears thin, and the whole frame smallish, these sheep will also be, | and produce, early-maturing stock. |

Big owT will produce heavier lambs, but always at the expense of time in reaching maturity and greater difficulty iri fattening. Where the ewes are of the long narrow-headed type it is frequently impossible to get, a decent draft fat, off the, mothprs, and rape has to lie provided to carry Jtho larnbs on after weaning and fatten tbsom for the works.

Small-Ironed sheep fatten more readily than co-j rse-bone.d animals because the first, call on tho food of fho. growing young is to build up 'the normal sized frame of , the breed. Not, until this growth of the skeleton is completed in its first stage—tfhat is, until each part of the growing* lamb has had a turn at development, for the lamb does not grow evenly all oveij at the same, time—does the, lamb put on any considerable condition. "With the small-honed, small-framed animal the amount! of food required to build the skeleton is much less, and consequently the stage when the lamb fattens is reached much earlier.

The Most Profitable Lamb.

If </liis first stage of growth is passed withomt the lamb being fattened, the cycle of growth again sets in and it is most ■difficult to put condition enough on the 'lamb for it to go into the. works until its growth has again temporarily stopped at the end of the second-growth cyclf«

TVf.ides being the most profitable, "milk laming" or those that go f;it, off the mot'fc.ers, are in keenest demand both became of flavour and size on the. Home maifket. Also the earlier these lambs can be jgot to Smithfield market, the better the priw per pound is likely to lie. It is therefore of very considerable importance to "breed from the type of ram and ewe th.'jit will give the greatest number of larpbs fat off the mothers at the earliest rlnt)-.