FAT LAMB PRODUCTION.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1334, 11 January 1912, Page 8

FAT LAMB PRODUCTION.

SJJROPSmiIE RAMS IX AUSTRALIA. ■Joinr , Australian, shocp-broedors havp taken exception to the advice recently given by the leading frozen meat exporters in Australia that tho -Shropshire i\nn should be nioro Ronerally used for the production of fat lambs, K. FotheriiiKham. of South Australia, discu-ses tho quosiion as uuder: — "VVliat i? the jiositioii of a man fusinsr the Shropshire) who through an adverse season is debarred from getting his lambs awny fat? Jn such a season sVorvs are generally at a low price. lie has either to sacrifice them at a poor market or hold them over. They nro not fjooil "doers" as hoggets. They cut u light fleece of wool, poor in quality, and the ewes are not sought after as breeders. Altogether the outlook is not promising, juk! such a one will no doubt alter his methods of bleeding lo ensure against such a happening.'' Mr. T'otheriugbain goes on to show tho example of a breeder using as a. sire the Leicester. In a good year his lambs will mature early, and will he readiiy bought by lamb buyers as first quality, hi n bad season his prospocis are etill hopeful. His sheep are remarkably good "(lopp- ,, n.s hoggets, and even in store condition they are sought after for the ewes as breeders and tho wethers as pc<-d profitable wool cutters that can be fattened into profitable value at any age. Take as an instance of the value of Leicester blood, tho Belinda Vale flock in Victoria. J I has been niaiji|bine.(l on merino-Leicester blood for very many years. In a good season every hoof can he. disposed of fat from four months' old lambs upwards. In a bad season they have got sheep that are readily saleable, and tho wool clip is renowned for its quality and bnlkiness. jlr. l'otheringham draws-attention to the foct that the Leicester blood predominates in the Canterbury. 1-vib, but in tho TCovth Island most of the lambs exported are by Romney ITavMi -or South-' down rams. There is, no doubt, however, Hint the Down crosses must, if possible, bo got away as.lambs.