LAMB-RAISING TESTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21143, 29 March 1932, Page 14

LAMB-RAISING TESTS.

AUSTRALIAN EXPERIMENTS. COMPARISON OF RESULTS. The fat lamb experiments carried nnt each sen son ;it t lie Cowra Experimental Farm, New South Wales, last year included the, use of Southdown rams for tho first 1 imp. Tho other rams tested were Rvedale and Dorset Horns. As on previous occasions, the ewo flocks comprised Merinos, comebacks and crossbreds, and rams at the rate of 2£ per cent, were joined to an equal number of each. Tho season, .generally speaking, was excellent, but excessive rains during the early portion of the year caused the lambs to lose their bloom and sappy appearance. The percentage of lambs dropped in the different sections was as follows: —So.uthdown, 96.1; Ryeland, 80.9; Dorset Horn, 72.6. In commenting on this Mr..L M. Coleman, senior sheep and wool instructor, says"'J'his is- the first occasion the Southdown has contested against the Dorset Horn and Uyeland in departmental trials, and possibly it is a little premature to give too much prominence, although 16 per cent, appears too great a margin to be just governed by a set of circumstances." Owing tu the shortage of sheep within the department and the necessity to retain the lambs for ration purposes they were not. forwarded to market as is usually done. For the purpose of the experiment; Mr. Coleman on September 23 drafted each section of lambs and valued them on the basis of prices then ruling at Flemington. These were: — Southdown.—With Merino lis a head, comeback 12s 6d, with crossbred 12s 9d. 12s 6d. Ryeland.—With Merino lis 9d, with comeback 12 s 6d, with crossbred 12s 9d. Dorset Horn.—With Merino lis 6d, with comeback 12s 6d, with crossbred 13s 3d. A table has been prepared showing the return from each ewe in the experiment based on the valuation stated, but excluding wool returns. The average return per ewe mated to each breed of ram was as follows : Southdown.— With Merino 8s 3d, with comeback 12s 2d, with crossbred 12s, an average of lis 2d. Ryeland.—With Merino 8s 2d, with comeback 10s sd, with crossbred 10s lOd, an average of 9s lOd. Dorset Horn.—With Merino 7s Bd, with comeback 8s 4d, with crossbred lis, an average of 9s Id.