1922.] Production of Meat on Pasti ues. 



PRODUCTION OF MEAT ON 

 PASTURES OF DIFFERENT TYPES. 



Sir Thomas Middleton, K.B.E., C.B., LL.D., 

 Development Commissioner. 



In this Journal for September, 1915, in a paper on " Systems 

 of Farming and the production of Food," I made a brief reference 

 to the production of meat on pastures of three different types. 

 In the present paper I propose dealing with the same subject in 

 more detail. The estimate then made of the yield from rich 

 pastures has since been supplemented by the estimates of others ; 

 and I have also secured some additional figures, bearing on the 

 production of food by poor pastures. 



Rich Fattening Pastures. — The former estimate was based on 

 the probable production of the best pastures in the English Mid- 

 lands that I had had an opportunity of examining carefully. It 

 may be recalled that the yield of this type of pasture was put 

 at 190 lb. meat per acre in an average season, without any 

 assistance from feeding stuffs. The total was made up 

 as follows : — 90-100 days' summer grazing, 200 lb. live 

 weight increase, equivalent to 120 lb. fat meat; 70 

 days' autumn grazing, 100 lb. live weight increase, or 55 lb. 

 moderately fat meat ; late autumn and winter grazing for store 

 cattle or sheep — 80 lb. live weight increase, or 15 lb. lean meat. 



There would, necessarily, be wide departures from these figures 

 in very good or very bad seasons, but I expressed the view that 

 on the average of a term of years the output of the best pastures 

 could not be expected to exceed the figures given. 



With the object of ascertaining whether the particular grass 

 land then in view was representative of the best in its particular 

 locality, and also for the purpose of checking the estimates. I 

 applied, in the autumn of 1920, through a mutual friend, feo 

 several experienced graziers in the locality, submitting to each 

 the following questions : — 



Assuming a ten-acre field of grass of first-rate quality, and no feeding 

 stuffs of any kind to be used : — 



1. What number of fattening cattle would the Held carry during the 

 summer months and what would be the average gain in live weight per 

 head ? 



2. Assuming the first lot of cattle to be cleared off in July and the 

 pasture to be rested, what number of cattle would be carried in the 

 autumn months? Could these bo fattened without cake in an average 

 season? What increase per head might be expected in this lot of cattle 

 if no artificial feeding stuffs were used? 



