North Island Lambing Estimates

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 63, Issue 5, 15 November 1941, Page 409

North Island Lambing Estimates

Current Season is Highest Since 1933

LAMBING estimates in the North Island for the current season are estimated at 90.74 per —the highest since 1933, when the season’s estimate of 91.23 per cent, proved slightly better than the actual lambing. From information supplied by the various Inspectors cf Stock, the average rate of lambing for the current season in North Island flocks is estimated at 90.74 per cent., compared with 89.01 per cent, in 1940. With 11,268,384 breeding ewes in the North Island, as shown in the 1941 sheep return, the estimated number of lambs is 10,224,786. Previous estimates have for some years underestimated the actual number of lambs tailed, so that it is probable last year’s record total will be exceeded this season. Dominion returns by counties, and the South Island estimates, will be published in next month’s issue of the “Journal.”

best part of the day,, there is nothing to prevent the crop being successfully harvested in this manner. z Care must be taken, however, as, if threshing is begun too early in the day, the clover is difficult to shell. The drum is then speeded up in an effort to separate the seed, which results in cracked and broken seed later in the day when conditions are better. These cracked and broken seeds are extremely difficult to remove in machine dressing, making it impossible to bring the sample up to the required purity standard, as many farmers know to their cost.

Drying and Stacking

The period between cutting and stacking the clover crop is the most critical and most anxious one in the .whole process of Montgomery red clover seed production. Ten days of fine, windy weather will enable a mod-

erately heavy crop'to be stacked with a minimum of loss. On the other hand, broken weather may result in a crop remaining out in the paddock for a month or six weeks, by which time the continued handling of the crop will have resulted in the loss of much seed. Continued wet weather also results in discoloured seed, and losses through sprouting are not uncommon in wet seasons. The only advice that can be given is to keep shifting the crop until' it is ready. Cocking the crop is not advocated, as clover cocks become wet right through very easily, and the subsequent breaking down of the cocks will result in greater loss of seed than if the crop had been left in the windrow. The crop should be dry for stacking, as damp clover will heat rapidly. Slight heating does little or no harm, and will not affect the germination, but if the stack becomes properly heated the only thing to do is to pull it down and let it dry out. As clover

seed requires to be perfectly dry for threshing, several small stacks are preferable to one large stack when conditions are not good and when it is a case of rushing into the stack material which is not in perfect condition. Provided they are well covered, small stacks will not take the rain any more than large stacks, and they have the advantage of better drying condition. Nevertheless, the long stack, say 12 ft. x 30 ft., is frequently built, and cannot be bettered when the clover is in good condition. When stacking, the heart should be kept well up and the material spread rather than being “lumped” in. Whatever the type of stack erected, good protection is essential. A foot or more of straw laid over a few branches or hurdles makes an excellent and nearly waterproof 'foundation. ' Red clover stacks take up moisture very rapidly, and considerable care in making them as waterproof as possible is usually taken. The best method is to top the stack fairly steeply (the body of the stack being well sprung) and cover it thickly on the top with good, fresh straw. The covering should be carried down the stacks as far as possible and weighted in the usual way. Following this, it is advisable to finish the work with a good waterproof stack cover. Particular attention should be paid to the covering of the weather side.

In weighting stacks it is not . advisable to attach the weights to single wires running over the stack, as they are liable to “gully” the stack, with the result that- the rain enters very easily. Weights attached to the stack covers or to wire netting laid over the stack do not cause this “gullying.” If treated with bluestone, sack stack covers will last for four seasons at least. Because of the value of the seed, every endeavour should be made to ensure that the crop, once it is in stack, is given all possible protection. T hr eshing Threshing should not be carried out until the clover has finished sweating, usually about six weeks. In general, the longer a crop is in stack the better will it hull. An ordinary wooden threshing mill is, as a .rule, virtually useless for dealing satisfactorily with clover seed, as, although some seed is hulled, a large proportion is left unhulled. . Nevertheless, odd cases have been noticed where a reasonably good piece of work has been done , with one of these mills. Tin mills are also used to a certain extent and. when properly managed, give good results. They are, however, liable to crack the seed unless they < are fitted with clover teeth and the machine is driven at a reduced speed. This is best done by fitting a larger driving pulley. There is no doubt that the specially constructed clover huller is the best threshing implement available. With the crop in good condition, this threshes efficiently with regard to both the quantity and quality of the seed saved. Yields , Farmers contemplating seed production naturally want some information regarding the yields. In (estimating yields no account of yield off the mill should be taken, as, according to the variation in the purity of the milldressed seed, so does the amount of pure seed harvested vary. The • only reliable way of estimating the yield is to divide the amount of seed that comes out of the dressing plant as firsts by the acreage closed up for seed production.

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The following table shows clearly the fallacy of estimating yields on field-dressed weights:— F/D (seed M/D (seed ' per acre).' per acre). Loss lb. lb. lb. Pdk. A. . . 171.7 - 142.7 16.9 Pdk. B. .. 184.1 110.5 - 40.0 Yields recorded during the past few years have been very variable. Some exceptional yields of over 450 lb. (in one case-770 lb.) of seed per acre have been recorded. On the other hand, there have been some very low yields, amounting to 20 lb. per acre and less. Examination of certification records shows that over the last few years the average yield of seed in New Zealand has been approximately 100 lb. per acre. This yield may appear to be low, especially to those farmers who have, been fortunate enough to secure . higher average yields, but it should be realised that the gross value per acre of a crop yielding 100 lb. per acre is approximately the same as a 44 bushel crop of wheat, which average yield is not likely to be obtained on the second class country which is recommended for the growing of Montgomery red clover. .

Maintenance of Pastures

The maintenance of Montgomery red clover seed-producing areas deserves some consideration. On the lighter soils the only important point in this connection liming and topdressinghas already been dealt with. On the heavier . country, however, there is one important feature that must be attended to. Here, where heavy, tall crops are grown, the crowns of the plants have been able to obtain no light and little growth is made from the crown for some time before the crop is cut. When the crop is cut the soft and sappy crown is left to fend for itself like a shorn sheep. Any encouragement that this crown can be given to produce fresh leaves before the frosts start will assist materially in its preservation.

It is therefore advisable to clean up the paddock as quickly as possible by grazing or mowing and raking in order to remove any of the half-dead stems that may have been missed. By this means the air and light are let into the crown to encourage growth again. The removal of these stems also reduces to a considerable extent the chance of the crowns rotting during the winter. This rotting is not infrequent in crops which continue to carry much dead growth during this period.

Irrigation ,In parts of Canterbury and Central Otago, Montgomery red clover seed is being produced under irrigation. Under these conditions the grower is able to exercise greater control of the growth, with the result that the consequent crop is more assured. Under irrigation paddocks may be closed up fairly late (mid-December). The amount of water required is the minimum quantity which will maintain the crop in a healthy condition. If irrigation is carried out too frequently a large bulk of clover is produced, and flowering is not satisfactory and carries on too long. This means that the harvest is carried on until the early winter, with all its attendant risks. Acknowledgment Grateful acknowledgment is made to those officers of the Fields Division of the Department of Agriculture who have kindly supplied certain of the information embodied in this article.

District. .Breeding Ewes. Estimated Percentage of Lambs. Estimated Number , of Lambs. Auckland 2,715,473 5,473 93.00 93.00 2,525,556 2,525,556 East Coast—Hawke’s A Bay 4,337,477 87.39 . 3.790,601 West CoastWellington 3,908,629 ton 4,215,434 4,215,434 92.72 92.72 3,908,629 NORTH ISLAND TOTALS: 11,268,384 90.74 10,224,786 Number of ' Estimated Estimated Actual Year. Breeding Average Lambing Number of •• Number 'of Ewes. Percentage. Lambs. Lambs Tailed. 1940 10,917,684 89.01 9,717,488 10,348,649 1939 10,889,802 84.40 9,190,994 9,476,647 1938 10,735,829 80.11 8,600,625 9,034,385 1937 10,570,388 • 86.52 ■9,145,849 9,401,496 1936 10,300,826 90.50 9,322,476 9,387,749

The following is the estimated percentage of lambing in the North Island for the year 1941, and a statement for the previous five years showing also the actual number of lambs tailed.