LAMBING SEASON

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21758, 24 March 1934, Page 17

LAMBING SEASON

CULLING BREEDING EWES PREPARATIONS FOR BATING BY H.B.T. Although earlier lambing is favoured in some districts where spring is normally early and mild, the majority, of North Island sheep-farmers are content to have their longwool lambs arrive from about the middle of August onward. At that time the feed should be starting to come away, and • will stimulate an ample flow of mills for the youngsters, beside which the iinost severe winter storms are usually over. Earlier lambing of longwools entails risks which are not compensated for by any advantage in quicker growth or earlier maturity over those which arrive later but suffer no checks. » As the gestation period with" ewes is 150 days it is necessary, in order to have lambing commence by the middle of August, to mate s the owes and rams this month. But before this is done, the breeding flock, should be carefully gone through to cull out anything which is not quite up to standard. The general station or farm culling for age, and of the two-tooths, will in the majority of cases, have been undertaken a month or more ago, but a great many farmers prefer to mark the cast ewes, aged four, sis and eighttooth, just before the rams are turned out, and sell these in-lamb in April or later. This suits the farmer who is selling, as he can use them to keep his autumn growth in order, and they usually fetch a good price from buyers who find that they can winter a few more ewes than they had anticipated. Various Advantages The advantage in culling and distinctively branding these cast ewes before mating, is that they can be held apart from the main flock, which will not have to be mustered and knocked about later. It is also possible, should it be found that a few more ewes can be held over, to draft off and keep the tops of these cast ewes. The culling of these mixed-age ewes should have for its objectives the maintenance of sound constitution, type suited in size and conformation to the country on which they are being grazed and an even and saleable class of wool. A capable man can take out the weaker-constitutioned sheep at the racegate quite as effectively and much more expeditiously than the job can be done in the crush pen. The indications of weak constitution which he would look for would be a narrowpointed muzzle with small nostrils, a longish and narrow head, a long and weak neck, lack of breadth across the shoulders, and a slack loin. All these defects will, of course, seldom be met with in one ewe, but a general impression of narrowness, especially when accompanied by a pinched muzzle with small nostrils, is sufficient to justify the farmer in culling the ewe on the ground of lack of constitution. Culling for constitution should be dona quite irrespective of the fleece which the sheep may be carrying, for however attractive the quality of this may appear to be, one can be reasonably certain that at shearing time the wool will be found to be unsound. Type and Conformation Culling for type and conformation can only be satisfactorily done in a small pen such as a forcing diamond. Here a few sheep—perhaps 20 or 30— should be penned at a time, leaving sufficient room to enable a clear view to be had of each sheep as they move round the pen. As a sheep is culled it should be raddled lightly to enable it to be taken out at the race-gate. Handling- can be saved if the operator has. a small hag of powdered raddle tied to the end of a bamboo pole about 6ft. or Bft. in length. Dabbed on the culled sheep's head, this will leave colour enough to draft by. The conformation which is generally favoured as indicating thriftiness, early maturing propensities, and a tendency to fatten readily, is a low-set, lightboned, blocky appearance. The head should be short from poll to snout, with plenty of width between the eyes and across the poll between the ears. The neck should be short fairly thick; the backline straight to the base of the tail, with as much length _as possible from the hip to the tail, giving a 4-ViiVlf lee. The under-line should be straight and parallel with the backline. This conformation will give a deep eirth with plenty of. lung room. The brisket should be thick and earned well forward, keeping the forelegs' ™ll If the hind legs are thick (fro? 3 fron to back) and the meat well down to the hocks, the body will have a square appearance. The ribs should be wellsprung with not too much space between the laßt rib and the hip. The type of wool to be selected for will depend upon the class of country be ne grazed, but generally it should lS as demo ks possible for the breed Density has much more influence on the weight of the clip than has length of static The crimp or wave should be even and regular from root to tip, and the quality of the wool should be as even as possible over the whole fleece. The wool is found to bo coarser and Doisiblv a little about the Eh/but this should not extend over the back or along the flanks. The belly and points should be well-woollod and a» free as possible from kempy hairs.. All eulled ewes should be immediately marked with a neat brand.