SHORN VERSUS UNSHORN LAMBS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 980, 22 November 1910, Page 8

SHORN VERSUS UNSHORN LAMBS.

COMPARATIVE I'EOPITS. ' ' On. the State farm at Buaiura experimenting has .been done to ascertain comparative profits from lambs shorn and •••-. pnshotii'.: Keporting on the experiment- •• i»fc>a .writer in the "Journql of the De^ ■ partment of Agriculture," says:— ; ! There is a wide diversity of opinion' in , regard to shearing lambs. . Many farmers contend that lambs shorn during their ; first season winter as well as those-un-!r shorn, and that the sale of the lambs' .■wool is a direct gain. , . In order, to throw some light on ■ the . subject, twenty wether lambs were selected on'Jannaty 3, 1909. These were.divid- : ed as; equally as , possible into . two lots, land ten subsequently shorn, which yielded . ■' i2slb.- of wool, which realised per Ipound. The weight of. the latter, ten . Jambs prior to. shearing was 6811b., or an average of 6S.lib. each. The ten'unshorn . . weighed 7021b., or an average of. 70.21b. " leach;, ' On! July. 24 the sheep (hoggets)., were • again weighed, when the shorn ten . .weighed 8741b., or 'an average of 87.41b. each, and the unshorn ten weighed 9201b., ;or an average- of 68.11b. each. The ten ■OTishorn weighed 7021b., or an average,of 70.21b. each. On July 24 the sheep (hoggets) were , ;igain-. weighed, when the/ shorn. ten ■weighed 8741b., or an average of 87.41b. ■ 'each, and'th'o unshorn ten weighed 9201b., .-or,- an average of 921b. each. To this • [period the unshorn lot had gained 251b. r sover the-shorn lot.' ' •• On October 14 the twenty sheep were iegain' weighed,. when the weight was [Shorn'lot,-10181b., or an average of 101.8 lib. each; unshorn lot 10921b.-, oranaver- ' lage tof ,921b. each. . To this pericd the ' [unshorn lot had gained 251b. over- the 'Jshori:lot. . v , - . The sheep were subsequently shorn, the iweight of wool being as follows:—Shorn Jot, Ouib., or an average of 6.61b. each; fnnshorn, 871b., .or: an. of 8.71b. ' .each. .. The price realised ',for. the wool ■was'-lid. per pound. . .. . . .: The sheep were slaughtered'' alternately 'jat' intervals' during the following month (for . home consumption.j ' In,- "every instance, the upshofn 'sheep were superior. Tie-total:.dressed' weight of .flie unshorn .ten was ,6181b./while the shorn. lot".gave la total dressed weight of 5181b. i A\\ noteworthy feature in connection rtrith'-this trial,was the absence, of.cauljfat in the shorn. sheep. 'Evidently the i fat had been utilised to supply the necesIjary.'heat during the.winter; this in,'the, jimshorn lot was supplied by the fleece* , ;Pfom the commencement to the termination of the trial,there was a gain of 791b. of .mutton in favour of the unshorn lot.Jhe summary of the trial is- as follows:—. .V Shorn. - (Wool— ; £ s. d. . Firet-- shearing,* 251b., at, 7Jd. per pound u.O 15 ..1J ■Second shearing, 661b., at lid. "... v ~ .-per pound 3 0 .6.,. ' Jfutton—slßlb.,- at-.3d. per pound 69 . 6.; V Total ; ia 5 ii • Unshorn.. 'Wool—B7lb., at lid. per pound ..:. 3 19 9. Mutton—s97lb., at 3d. per pound 7 9 3 . ...Total 11 9 0 .Giiin;in favonr.:of unshorn 10t..; 1 3.105 Or 2s. 4id. per head, besidesi ,'cost of . Cheating, lambs; , .*.--