CONSERVING FLOCKS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume II, Issue 520, 9 October 1915, Page 2

CONSERVING FLOCKS.

THE EWE-LAMB PROBLEM. FUTURE STORE SHEEP PRICES. [Written for THE SUN.] Had it been that the farmers of Canterbury were carrying the usual number of sheep' this season tlieir plight in the past few weeks would have been a very sorry one. Fortunately, the province is a quarter of a million sheep short, according to the statistics, although shipments from the north were heavy after the ufeual time of taking the returns. On the other hand, there was quite an exodus of sheep north again, especially when the blockage in the freezing works" was acute. Still the sheep are going north. Buyers evidently find the trade payable enough, as thej' come back and load up, again, even in spite of rising prices here. For years past the importation of ewes from the North Island has' gone on, and Canterbury farmers have come to rely upon this source of supply to keep up their ewe flocks. Not only the north, but Marlborough and the Sounds country supplied much more than the usual number, owing to the unfavourable summer. This leaves this country short, and accordingly a'portion of this year's natural increase will go to make up the shortage. As pointed out last week in these columns, Canterbury will not be able to draw upon the north for surplus sheep. This will be somewhat difficult to get over, and from appearances it means that buyers will have to pay very long prices for ewes in the autumn, and, for that matter, for any other class of sheep. If the export season is a normal one, and the usual quantity of mutton and lamb go foi'ward, the probabilities are that sheep for store purposes will go to prices never attained in the more recent history of sheep farming in the Dominion. Unless the shipping difficulty places a damper upon exportation, it may be expected that the export Of mutton and lamb will further increase.

From what mky be gathered, the lambing averages throughout the Dominion are not at all heavy. In some of the best North. Island sheep districts 70 and 80 per <?ent. is common enough, where it usually is 90 and 100. • Often enough formers, who could not be described as " faddists," have drawn attention to the necessity of doing something to preserve our ewe flocks from depletion even to the extent of legislative action to prevent the exportation of evye lambs. The continual drawing upon the best lambs to supply the London • market with lamb lias admittedly had a deleterious effect upon the flocks of the Dominion. Ho\y often' in Canterbury saleyards does one see a line of superior ewe hoggets, oi- hoggets of either sex for that matter? The cream of the . flock is skimmed off and consigned. to. .the works. The tail end stays behind to -make up the flock. The ewes, often small in frame, even stuhted, are retained to breed from. What wethers are left are a secondary consideration. Aiult wethers sell any time. Supply and demand has been looked to to remedy matters. But the London demand for lamb has "been all powerful. To get lambs off when prices are 6d:per lb,, and even more, is a great temptation. Few can resist it and put aside their best ewes.

The disorganisation of the industry this year had one effect which should favourably react upon this province. Rather more lambs were kept at home than usual. This may not mean betas feed has been so short throughout the winter. It should hardly need the excessive prices now ruling for sheep to indicate to. farmers that there should be very favourable markets for ewes in the near future. Ewe lambs should be worth a price that will justify their being kept at home to replenish the flocks. It would seen a wise policy to force the wethers for fat lambs purposes, but to rear the ewes Ond'er natural conditions. *

A farmer met with the other day had picked out the ewes with ewe lambs and placed them in a separate paddock. The remainder are to receive rather better treatment than the ewes. They will be forced on for the factory, but those intended for, the New Zealand trade will just be treated ordinarily, grass fed, with a little rape at weaning time. Present indications are that this process will pay, but the weather this summer will be a deciding factor. Dry conditions may mean slack prices, just as good growing conditions w T ill assuredly mean very high rates. M.E.L.