MEAT EXPORT TRADE

Southland Times, Issue 20771, 11 May 1929, Page 14

MEAT EXPORT TRADE

PRODUCTION OF LAMBS.

SECURING EARLY MATURITY. BREEDING AND FEEDING. In view of the steadily increasing importance to the Dominion of the meat export trade, and in particular of the development of the fat lamb trade, it is of vital interest to farmers to study the relative influence of breeding and feeding in connection with early maturity and conformation, writes H.B.T. in the New Zealand. Herald. Early maturity, as we generally interpret the term, is the rapid progress of growth toward the development of meat production. and in this age of the demand for small joints, meat production is not dependent to the same extent as formerly on the growth of the skeleton or frame. . At birth an animal’s bones are developed most, and it will, be noted that flesh which is really constituted of muscle and sinew, is next in importance to bone in natures scheme of development, while fat is last. This relative importance of bone growth is maintained after birth and until maturity is reacheel, hence to get animals which will develop flesh and fat at an early age we must choose those whose frames demand the least amount of nourishment to develop them normally. A knowledge of this fact is of the utmost importance to breeders of fat lambs in their selection of the type of ewe most likely to give them early maturing lambs, and is still more important in the selection of the rams which tWy intend to mate with these ewes. A Common Mistake. The close relationship existing between conformation and early maturity appears frequently to be overlooked by the farmer, who evinces a preference for big-framed sheep when he is purchasing ewes to mate with the Southdown ram. By his selection of this type of ewe for the breeding of Southdown-cross lambs, the farmer is going a long way toward counteracting the influence of the small-boned, lowset Southdown sire, and though these lambs, when fat, may be bigger and heavier —a questionable advantage—they will take longer to fatten and will not make nearly such attractive carcases.

Many years ago Bakewell realized that to mature early and have a propensity to fatten, animals must be small in the bone and low-set, these being prominent features in the breeds which he improved —the Longhorn cattle and English Leicester sheep.

Subsequent breeders came to think too much of size, paying unwarranted attention to abnormal development of frame. This was understandable in the colonics before the days of refrigeration, for then wool was the great consideration. Nowadavs, however, wool is second to early maturity on the average farm, but the old ideal, the ‘-big-boned, roomy ewe” is still fostered to the detriment of fattening qualities. The Part Feeding Plays.

Breeding is not solely responsible for conformation. We may breed from the most perfectly-formed stock with the object of securing a well-developed, early-maturing lamb, but unless that lamb is fed so that it has an abundance of nourishment from before it is born until it goes to the butcher, its conformation will suffer as well as its early maturity.

As a young animal grows, its conformation changes. Thus, before birth its head

and legs are abnormally big. At birth these are still out of proportion to the rest of the body, which is short and shallow, with the loins and rump—the most important part of a meat-animal —comparatively undeveloped. With a well-nourished young animal this part of the frame grows at a faster rate than the head and legs, and so the proportions of the animal change rapidly toward the meat-producing ideal. The animal which has large, coarse bones, naturally makes a heavier first, demand on all nourishment which it absorbs, for the development of these, and it is only that, nourishment which is left over, the surplus, which goes into the formation of flesh, and flesh is equally responsible with frame in the development of conformation. Value of Rapid Development. Those animals which develop most rapidly for their age have the best meat conformation, while those which develop least have the worst. A slowly developed animal has a great proportion of bone to meat in its carcase than one which reaches maturity early, and Is, therefore, less valuable to the butcher and considerably less valuable to the consumer. The young, growing animal, if kept in ‘ store condition will continue to grow in frame, while the muscles or flesh will develop only sufficiently to control the movements of the frame, and there will be a total absence of fat. If, however, an abundant ration is fed, the proportion of flesh and fat to bone increase enormously, and we get early maturity. When a breeding flock is kept during pregnancy so that the animals have abundant nourishment and sufficient exercise to keep them from putting on internal fat and so cramping the development of the foetus, the young are usually born with a big percentage of flesh to bone. The farmer should aim, by liberal feeding on a flesh-and-fat-forming ration to maintain and increase this flesh and add fat to it. If once this condition is lost, and the frame continues to grow while the flesh-formation stands still, it takes much fodder and time to bring the lamb to prime condition again.

Two members of the staff of the Rothhamsted Experimental Station, Drs. R. A. Fisher and A. D. Imms, have been elected Fellows of tho Royal Society. This Is one of the highest scientific distinctions in the British Empire, only 15 Fellows being elected each year, and choice ranging over the whole Empire. In addition, Dr Fisher has been awarded the Weldon Prize of the University of Oxford for high distinction in Biological Science. With the elect ion of Drs. Fisher and Imms to the Royal Society Rothamsted now has three Fellows on its staff, Sir John Russell having been elected 12 years ago.