LAMBING RESULTS

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1756, 1 November 1905, Page 58

LAMBING RESULTS

A SUCCESSFUL SEASON. It is many years since the North Island had such good reason for congratulation on the results of the lambing as it has this year. The South Island has been less fortunate, and there have been considerable losses; but accounts from all Darts of this Island agree that the season has been a most successful one, particularly where it was earlier. Referring to the Alfredton district, Mr Holmes Warren, of Tiraumea, writes that frpin a farmer’s point of view the lambing season has been all that could be desired. It was undoubtedly the mildest for the past twenty years, and consequently large percentages were realised. A neighbour of Mr Warren’s docked from one paddock, say, seven or eight hundred ewes, an average of 120 per cent. Similar and even better results are reported by small farmers, who extensively use the Down rams for the fat lamb trade. It is quite the exception in this district for a farmer to record less than 100 per cent. The weather has been remarkably favourable. and the losses during the actual lambing were very low. Frosts usually cause considerable losses when the lambs are young, but this year the farmer has escaped entirely. The mortality amongst both ewes and lambs was very small,, and the prospects of the Alfredton farmers are very healthy. In Wairarapa, Mr Stuckey, of Te Rangitumau, considers that the lambing will be at least 5 per cent, over the average, some persons reporting extraordinary percentages. Mr J. McGregor is stated to have had 133 per cent, all round, the lambs being by Southdown rams from Lincoln-Romney ewes and all-aged ewes. .Mr Stuckey himself expects to have about 110 per cent, from his stud Southdowns. In South Wairarapa, the season was very favourably, and the lambs are healthy and strong, there being very little loss amongst the flocks. Mr A. Matthews, of Waiorongcanai, states that the mortality amongst ewes was very much below the average. Settlers near the lakes have had rather a bad time. The heavy rains in June saturated the ground to such an extent that it was late in recovering, and the grass was slow in starting. Since October lastfloods have been so frequent that the low-lying country has been of little use, and stock have suffered in consequence. Speaking of the Bulls district, Mr J. G. Wilson states that boisterous weather retarded the docking, hut most people had a good percentage. The months of July and August were tlie finest Mr Wilson has ever known, and those who lambed in the latter month scarcely lost any lambs or ewes. Mr W. J. Birch, of Marton, states that the lambing in the Ra n git ike i ‘district has been well above the average. The fine winter continued until almost all the lambing was over in the lower country, and enabled the lambs to gain strength, so that they were able to bear the rough and wet weather in September. Lambs were seldom in better condition at docking time than they were this season, the fine weather having given them a -good start in life. _ In the upper part of the Rangitikei, where the lambing was later, there was some loss during the bad weather in the latter part of September, and in the high country of the Moawhango district the loss was severe.^ In Taranaki there is the same story of a successful lambing. Anything up to 133 per cent, is recorded, some of the best results coming from the splendid wintering country in the east of the province.