Nov. 2, 1920.] 



Agricultural Gazette of N.S. W. 



763 



lamb-raising is most practicable. Other localities afford similar facilities in 

 a measure ; but, broadly speaking, it is within the south-eastern portion of 

 the State that the conditions are most favourable. 



Distance from railway and facilities for transport are also factors which 

 must be taken into account as contributing to the success or otherwise of a 

 lamb-raising venture. Once separated from their mothers, lambs naturally 

 waste and deci-ease in weight, and it is essential that as little time as possible 

 should be lost betvvyfii weaning and killing. Hence, promptness of despatch 

 is essential, but it is also obvious that in order to retain weight and 

 succulence slaughtering should take place as near to the place of abode as 

 circumstances and transport facilities will permit. 



In this report, in addition to the live weights of the lambs of different 

 crosses and their values, the loss of weight incurred in forwarding tlie lambs 

 to S;^dney from the several farms is shown. 



Lambing Results from the Vai-ious Classes. 



Records were also kept at each farm of the breeding propensities of the 

 ewes of the various crosses, percentage of lambs marked, number of ewes 

 assisted, and number of deaths at or during parturition as the result of ewes 

 havins been mated with rams of the different shortwool breeds. 



The average behaviour of each cross in each respect throughout the seven 

 years is presented in the tables which follow, the results from the three 

 farms being shown first separately, and then as a combined average. 



Wagga Expex'iment Farm Averages, 1912 to 1918 (inclusive). 



Breed of Lambs. 



Per- 

 centage 

 of Rams 

 used. 



Number 

 of Ewes 

 Mated. 



Per- 

 centage 



of 

 Laraba. 



Ewes 

 Assisted. 



Deaths of Ewes at Lambing Time. 



Before. 



At. 



After. 



South Down X Linpoln- 



Merino, DjLjM ... 3 



Sou th Down X Leicester- 

 Merino, D1L2M .. 3 



South Down x Border 



Leic. -Merino, DiLgMi 3 



Shropshire x Lincoln- 



Mei'ino, DoLjM ... 3 



Shi'iipshire x Leicester- 

 Merino, D2L2M ...i 3 



Shropshire x Border' 

 Leic. -Merino, D2L3M 3 



Dorset Horn x Lincoln- 

 Merino, D5L1M ... 3 



Dorset Horn x Leicester- 

 Merino, D5L0M ... 3 



Dorset Horn x Border 



Leic. -Merino, D5L3MI 3 



2 or 1-6% 

 lor -8,, 



1 or "5 , , 



3 or 2 '3 , , 



2 or 1-6,, 

 ,3 or •2-4,, 



2 or 1S„ 



4 or 3 „ 

 6 or 3 ,, 



lor -8% 



5 or 49% ' 



8 or 6"6 ,, 



9 or 4-8,, 



1 or -8,, ] or -8% 



lor -5% 



2 or 1 „ 



8 or 7'5 ,, 



3 or 2-3,, 



8 or 4 ,, 



1 or -.J % 



From the standpoint of virihty there is little to choose between the rams 

 of the three breeds. The South Downs and Shropshires are about equal in 

 the percentage of lambs dropped by the three groups of ewes collectively, 

 while the Dorset Horn is at a slight disadvantage. 



