GOOD RETURN OF LAMBS

Southland Times, Issue 23954, 21 October 1939, Page 14

GOOD RETURN OF LAMBS

High Percentages In

Southland

AVERAGE ON FLAT

AREAS

HEAVY LOSSES ON RUNS IN BACK COUNTRY

Lambing has concluded in most parts of Southland and particularly on the lower areas of the province the percentages promise to be very satisfacfactory. Some unusually high averages are reported and it is expected that on river-flat country the returns will be higher than last year’s when the returns were slightly below normal. On the higher back country it is considered unlikely that good percentages will be recorded as the ewes came to lambing in very poor condition. Until mustering time next month, runholders will not be able to gain accurate information about their losses during the severe August snowstorm. It is certain that the losses will be found to be heavy as big numbers of dead sheep have been found on the stations since the snow melted. Most of the station sheep which survived the ordeal of being buried for some time under the snow have been in very low condition and many have lost their lambs. Station returns will, therefore, be greatly reduced because of the severe winter weather. Some station owners adhere to their earlier estimates of losses up to 50 per cent, of their flocks, but reliable information will not be available until the results of the muster are available.

River-flat farmers suffered practically no losses during the winter and in most districts the lambing returns have been very satisfactory. Some calculations of lambing percentages made already have been almost phenomenal, but a pastoral authority counsels caution among farmers in estimating their percentages, by taking into consideration dry. sheep and those which have failed to lamb. Some farmers calculate their percentages on the basis of the number of lambs obtained from lambing ewes, which is an inaccurate method.

A South Hillend farmer reports that his percentage of lambs will amount only to about 85 per cent, compared with 125 per cent, last year and an average over a period of years of about 115 per cent. He cannot account for the small percentage. A lot of dead and undeveloped lambs were found in the paddock at lambing time. Another farmer in the same district secured much better results and he has now marked 1800 lambs from 1500 ewes, an average of 120 per cent. In the Drummond district, a farmer who has repeatedly secured high percentages, went out on the first morning of lambing to find that 16 ewes had lambed. Of this number 14 had twins, one had triplets and the other a single lamb. The lambing continued with a very high percentage of twins and it is expected 'that the final average will be higher than 150 per cent. In some districts fairly substantial losses of lambs from pulpy kidney have occurred during the last week, but it is too early yet to ascertain whether this tondition is likely to prove serious.-