1922.] 



Production of Meat on Pastures. 



309 



have been slaughtered during the twenty-five seasons for which 

 records are now available; but if figures were available, I am 

 satisfied (hat the 29 lb. of live increase credited to this grass 

 laud in Table II would be found to represent not more than 10 or 

 12 lb. per acre of carcass increase. 



On the other hand when using these experimental figur 

 for the purpose of estimating the yield of meat on our poorest 

 cultivated grazings. it must be remembered thai it is very un- 

 likely that the full returns of which such pastures are capable 

 can be obtained bv grazing with sheep alone. If store cattle 

 were kept along with sheep a greater increase would aim I 

 certainly be secured. It is possible, though not likely, thai mixed 

 grazing might increase the output by as much as 50 per cent. 

 If we adopt this figure as a maximum, the average yield of meal 

 by our poorest pastures may be estimated at from 15 to 16 Db. 

 per acre, rising to 20 lb. in good grazing seasons and falling to 

 12 lb. in poor years. 



Production on Grazing Land of Medium Quality. — In my 

 original paper particulars were given of the yield secured at 

 Cockle Park from two ten-acre fields, originally of the very 

 poor quality of the grass-land above referred to, which had been 

 greatly improved as a result of treatment with basic slag. From 

 the figures then available I estimated the yield on the improved 

 land at about 210 lb. live increase and 105 lb. of meat. Several 

 good grazing seasons between 1914 and 1920 have slightly raised 

 the average yield; over the fifteen year period 1906-1920 the 

 figure for the live weight gain has been increased to 

 215 lb. On the other hand the carcass increase for both sheep 

 and cattle was, in 1915, assumed at 50 per cent, of the live 

 increase, and in view of the above figures for sheep this per- 

 centage is too high ; the original estimate of 105 lb. meat per 

 acre may therefore be retained for these particular fields. 



The effects of good or bad grazing seasons on land of this type 

 are illustrated by the records of these experimental fields. 

 Averaging the results on the two ten acre enclosures, the follow- 

 ing were the live weight yields per acre in the two best and 

 two worst seasons experienced between 1900 and 1920. The 

 figures refer to the summer grazing only. 



Season. 



Live Increase, Per -cent. Increase 

 lb. per acre. Over 1914, 



1907 

 1920 

 1910 

 1914 



250 61 



240 55 



170 10 

 152 



