THE LAMBING SEASON

Taihape Daily Times, 4 October 1918, Page 6

THE LAMBING SEASON

EFFECT OF THE COLD SNAP. * f MORTALITY IN HIGH COUNTRY. ——— I Lambing returns, this season on the East Coast, both in the Hawke’s Bay and Poverty Bay disTriets, are said to be excellent. Some exceptionally heavy percentages are reported, and if the weather conditions continue favourable, hopes tare entertained that the returns will be better than they have been for some years past. Reports from Taranaki and other West Coast districts state that the season opened favourably, and a short spell of good weather was experienced A sudden change to rain, accompanied by cold winds, and a slight fall of snow, on the high country of the West Coast and Main Trunk districts, however, caused considerable mortality among both the lambs and owes that yfere not }n the best condition. It is beared that the season’s returns in t&ese localities will be seriously affected, even if the weather conditions , remain normal f rpm n.PW onwards* S The IftnibxSg sefised ih tile north is said to have been fairly good, though in some localities it is stated that there has been a fairly high mortality among the lambs about a month after birth. In the Taheke, Umawera, and -Broadwood districts conditions bavc been particularly favourable for lambing and large numbers of twins have been dropped The mortality so far has been light, on account of a fairly dry spring having been experienced. If the favourable weather continues the percentage of lambs- is expected to be very high Good returns this year will be particularly gratifying to the farmers of the districts mentioned, ns there has been heavy mortality among the lambs for the last two seasoru-, owing to wet -weather in the spring.