CHAPTER V 

 FAT LAMBS 



Suitable breeds for fat lambs. 



SOME time ago experiments were made at the experimental farm 

 at Moumahaki, in the Wanganui District of New Zealand, as to 

 the best crosses for producing fat lambs ; and the results, which 

 are now available, cannot fail to be of general interest. 



During each of the four seasons 1905-09 about 200 ewes, 

 principally Romney- Lincoln cross, were divided into four lots 

 and mated on or about March 5th to pure-bred Border Leicester, 

 Shropshire, and Southdown rams. The average returns for the 

 four seasons work out as follows : 



BORDER LEICESTER. 



Percentage of lambs ... 115 



Fat at first draft - 64-0 per cent. 



Average live weight ... 77'5 Ib. 



Average dead weight 38-3 Ib. 



Percentage of meat to live weight 46*8 



SHROPSHIRE. 



Percentage of lambs 129 



Fat at first draft 68-07 per cent. 



Average live weight ... ... 78-5 Ib. 



Average dead weight 37' 1 Ib. 



Percentage of meat to live weight ... 47*2. 



SOUTHDOWN. 



Percentage of lambs 116 



Fat at first draft 74'4 2 P er cent - 



Average live weight 7 6 '5 Ib. 



Average dead weight 37'i Ib. 



Percentage of meat to live weight ... ... 4 8 '3 



29 



