REARING AND FATTENING LAMBS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3033, 1 May 1912, Page 14

REARING AND FATTENING LAMBS.

The marvellous development of the frozen meat trade which, commencing 18 or 19 years ago, with a modest export of less than 9000 carcases, has reached a record of over five millions, can only be described as phenomenal. An unbroken chain of successful years has exhibited a steady increase in the number of sheep and lambs shipped, till over 20 per cent, of the flocks of the Dominion are now sent away annually. But it Mrtnud, appear from the figures recently published in this paper that this year is to pro'se an exception to the progressive development of this trade. The lambs have not fattened on an abundant pasture, and what there was seemed to have no nutriment in it. In a year in which nearly all the fodder crops have failed it is almost impossible to minimise the loss resulting from this combination of unfavourable circumstances. But something may be dome in future to avoid again being caught in such a dilemma, Recourse may be had to crops whio.i seldom fail, and partial reliance may be placed on them for fattening purposes. ( .\ fresh growth of grass on sound pasture is just as fattening and succulent as young grass itself. If farmers paid more attention to the condition of their pastures they would have no difficulty in turning off all their lambs, fat. When the crops are grown one after another in quick succession the toil must be worked into as perfect a condition as it is possible to get it, and regularly enriched with ample supplies of available plant food. Deep ploughing and thorough cultivation must be given before all seeding if successful crops are to be expected. If horses are put to extra hard work they are supplied with extra rations of a powerful character. Similarly, the grass, if expected to produce a quick succession of nutritious fodder, must be supplied with the nourishing material to enable it to bear with success the strain. The profit from rearing and fattening lambs is diminished unless the best use is made of the pastures of the farm. Supplies of fodder obtained from them are the deepest and best of all. The flock-owner must set himself to improve the quality of his grass. ,By renewal at intervals and proper nourishment the available young grass can be made to fatten twice the usual quantity of lambs. Every three or four years the pastures should have the benefit of a dresing of basic slag or superphosphate and kauiit applied, in the autumn. Natural pasture in. a neglected state cannot be depended upon ; it gives out in a bad year, and when it is too late artifical feeding is resorte to. From the date of birth the lamb should progress steadily, and any break in his development affects its quality. To begin at the beginning, the condition of the ewes requires attention, both at mating and-long before lambing. Some succulent food, such as green oats, green I've oats, and vetches, Italian ryegrass, or, if they all fail, the tail end of the swedes, with a little hay and crushed oats, may be provided any season. There is never much trouble when the lambs are strong and the ewes able to nurse them well. They get a good start and when succulent food of any kind is’ available for the ewes they progress steadily. If they are begun on oats or any of the above crops ana finished on rape and young grass alone, they car. be turned off 361 b to 401 b at three or four months old, and nothing pays better. If more attention is paid to this department of the farmer’s duty there is no reason why the supplies shipped to the English market should 'not be increased, and the openings now being made in European countries taken advantage of. We can only compete successfully with Argentine by keeping up the quality and sending away oulv high class lambs and, mutton. _ If the lambs are unequal In size and plumpness, and show carelessness in breedings we deserve adverse criticism. Agood reputation is conducive to high prices and facilitates business. As much as possible should be done by everyone connected with the trade —the floebowner, the freezing company, and the shipper—to encourage and promote the success of the trade; and it is in the breeding of good stock, skilful fattening of the lamb and its selection for freezing, more than in handling and shipping that improvement seems to be possible.