FAT LAMBS AT RUAKURA.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume VI, Issue 3, 15 March 1913, Page 271

FAT LAMBS AT RUAKURA.

THE SEASON’S EXPERIMENTS.

Primrose McConnell.

On the Ist February, 1912, 600 Lincoln Romney full-mouthed ewes were put to the rams, half to the Border Leicesters, and half to the Southdowns, at the rate of fifty ewes per ram. Until within a week of lambing the ewes had no feed except pasture-grass. After the rams were removed the ewes were kept in one mob, and were constantly removed from paddock to paddock, . and this, I believe, was the secret of their fine condition when the lambing season commenced. From a week previous to lambing until there was a full bite of grass they received a full ration of mangels, which were carted, to the paddocks daily, and this was the means of keeping up a good flow of —-the lambs benefiting accordingly. At the end of November an early paddock of rape was available, on to which at that date the earlier of the unsold lambs were drafted, a second paddock being available when the • first was eaten off. With the exception of the last draft of 126, all were sold to local butchers, the said draft being the only one of which the weights of each cross could be compared. The average net price per lamb was 145., the highest price being 17s. 6d. '

The two lambs shown in the accompanying pictures were selected as two of the best from the last draft, and three weeks previous to their, being slaughtered were rejected as not being quite finished. They were dressed and weighed by Mr. Jamieson, butcher, Hamilton. The live fasted weights wereßorder Leicester cross, 98 lb. ; Southdown cross, 78 lb. The dressed weights wereßorder Leicester cross, 64 lb. ; Southdown cross, 48 lb. The average weight of the last draft of 120 was—Border Leicester cross, 39-09 lb. ; Southdown cross, 37-50 lb. ; and all were classed as “ very prime.” Every lamb was fat by the end of January, and not a single cull is left on hand.

Five hundred of the ewes that had suckled lambs were sold on the 4th January, 1913, at 6d. per head more than the' buying-in price, which would more than make up for the loss through deaths. Judging from the . weights of the last draft, and from information received from butchers who killed previous drafts, the Border Leicester

cross lambs would average fully 3 lb. per head more than the Southdown cross; and as long as export buyers do not take . quality into consideration the value of weight must be recognized, although for quality of carcase the Southdown cross has no superior. The photos are not meant to demonstrate average carcases; they are intended merely to illustrate the type of the two crosses, alive and slaughtered. >

Total gross profit, £7OO. • ■ • Although the results of the above table are decidedly in favour of the Southdown cross, yet had all the lambs been sold by weight the two crosses would have shown about similar results. In the matter of quality the Southdown carcase is much superior to that of the Border Leicester, there being no waste fat as in the case of the

latter. The Down also comes much earlier to maturity,. although the experiment under discussion does not emphasize this so much as repeated experiments carried out at the Moumahaki Farm. Where it is not possible to fatten all the lambs I am of the opinion that the Border Leicester is the better cross, as it yields a good fleece and a heavy carcase later. on; but for the purely early fat-lamb trade the Southdown is unsurpassed. Taking into consideration the fact that this is anything but good sheep-country, the results as shown above must be considered very satisfactory. During the season several first and second prizes were gained at the Waikato and Auckland shows for fat lambs. It will be noticed that by the end of November 219 Southdown and 182 Border Leciester cross, or nearly two-thirds of the total number, were off hands, which result is undoubtedly due to the fact that sufficient feed in the form of mangels and rape was available at a critical. season and was the means of keeping the lambs in a continually thriving condition. Where the ewe flock is renewed each year the advantage of early maturity cannot be overestimated — risk of having the lambs left on hand as stores is avoided, the ewes being fat early in the season command a higher price, and, the land being freed, there is abundance of feed for the new ewe flock. To obtain the best results the ewes should be in good thriving condition before they are mated. This season 800 crossbred ewes have been put to the rams, half to the Southdown and half to the Border Leicester.

Vegetable Humus.—An interesting experiment is in progress at the Moumahaki Experimental Earm to test the plant-food value of . different crops ploughed in as green manure. The field where the trial is being made carried an oat crop in the 1911-12 season. The stubble was disced, and the area, 15 acres, was apportioned out into four plots. On these, mustard, rape, buckwheat, and vetches were grown. It had been intended to plough in the whole of the four crops, but they made such vigorous growth, and the farm at the time was so heavily stocked, that the crops were partially eaten down. The remaining growth, of about 18 in. in height, was ploughed in, the whole area being then sown with ryecorn. In early spring this provided abundant feeding for ewes and lambs, and, being a crop that quickly recovers after grazing, a growth of about 2 ft. in height was soon made. This was ploughed in. The field was then sown in swedes, the seed being drilled. Careful note is being taken of the appearance of the crop on the different plots, and the rate of growth. It may appear that the ploughing-in of the ryecorn would to some extent nullify the test as to the respective merits of the first-ploughed-in crops, but it has to be remembered that the latter had ample time to decompose and be converted into plantfood, whereas the ryecorn was not sufficiently long in the ground to have any immediate appreciable effect.

Border Leicester Cross. Dates of Drafts. Number. Net Amount realized at the Average of 14s. October .. .. ' November December January .. Totals .. 33 149 75 51 £ s. d. 23 2 0 104 6 0 52 10 0 35 14 0 308 £215 12 0 Realized for ewes’ wool .. .. ’ .. £112 0 0 Gross profit realized from 300. ewes .. .. £327 12 0 Gross profit per ewe .. .. ... £1 1 10 Southdown Cross. Dates of Drafts. Number. Net Amount realized at the Average of 14s. October .. November December .. .. January .. .. Totals .. .. 45 174 • 65 88 £ s. d. 31 10 0 121 16 0 ■ 45 10 0 6112 0 372 ■ £260 8 0 Realized for ewes’ wool .. .. .. £112 0 0 Gross profit realized from 300 ewes .. .. £372 8 0 Gross profit per ewe .. .. .. £1 4 10

The following table gives results :-