Vol. XXXI. Part 11. NOVEMBER 2 1920. 



Agricultural Gazette of New South Wales. } 



Sheep and Wool for Farmers* 



CROSS-BREEDING EXPERIMENTS. library 



NEW YORK 



Results of Lamb-raising Trials. botanical 



J. WRENFORD MATHEWS. 



Following upon the report published in the latter part of last year dealing 

 specifically with the results of the first phase of the crossbreeding experiments 

 conducted by the Depaitment — the results of the second phase are now 

 presented showing the lambs from the crossbred ewes most suitable for local 

 and export requirements. 



It may be explained that at the outset these tests were divided into two 

 sections. In the first place, longwool rams of several breeds were tried on 

 Merino ewes to ascertain which crossbred provided the most serviceable wool 

 and mutton strain. That is the phase that has already been dealt with. In 

 the second place, rams of the shortwool group of breeds were crossed on ewes 

 of the longwool crosses, with the object of obtaining data as to the most 

 desirable cross for the lamb market. The breeds used in this latter con- 

 nection were South Down, Shropshire, and Dorset Horn. 



The farms at which the investigations were conducted were the same as in 

 the case of the first crosses, namely Wagga, Cowra, and Bathurst. As the 

 experiments were commenced in 1912 at the first, and in 1913 at the two 

 latter farms, and terminated respectively in 1918 and 1919, we now have 

 available for comparison results embracing seven years' records from each of 

 these farms. The results afford a very fair criterion of the potentialities of 

 tlie districts named for this particular line of sheep-breeding, more par- 

 ticularly as they cover a period having some years much below and others 

 much above the average season. 



"O^ 



A Word on Lamb-raising. 



Before proceeding to analyse the results it may be of use to say just a 

 word or two on the raising and marketing of lambs in New South Wales. 



Lamb raising may be regarded as a separate branch of the sheep industry. 

 It embraces the raising of a lamb whose body is exceptional on the score of 

 early maturity and whose carcase will attain a requisite standard of weight 

 at or before the weaning stage — about the age of 5 months. It is well 

 within the practice of the small wheat and sheep farmer, and it is a form 

 of production in which he may most profitably specialise. Lamb's flesh 

 averages from l^d. to 2d. per lb. more than ordinary trade mutton, provided 

 it is bred on the right lines and is marketed in prime condition. 



