Influence of Majvures on Mutton. 



305 



This shows a live-weight gain of 131 lbs. per plot, or 44 lbs. per 

 acre. In 1898 the original weight of the eight sheep on this 

 ^lot was 533 lbs., and the final weight 872 lbs., the gain* 

 being thus 339 lbs. per plot, or 1 13 lbs. per acre. In 1897 the 

 sheep were clipped before grazing commenced, while in 1898' 

 shearing took place a month after the plots were stocked, the 

 weight of wool being deducted from the initial gross weight. 

 The figures just quoted indicate that the animals throve better 

 in 1898 than in 1897, and Table II. shows that this was the 

 case with all the lots except No. 9. This general result is to be- 

 accounted for partly by the season, but chiefly by the class 

 of animals, those of the second season being evidently better 

 adapted for the locality than the stock of the previous year. 



The somewhat restricted area of grazing ground — namely., 

 three acres — at the disposal of each lot of sheep did not 

 appear to interfere in any way with the health of the animals,, 

 the live-weight gain per head per week, as shown by the last 

 two columns of Table IL, being in several cases much higher 

 than is usually shown by sheep on pasture. 



The much greater rate of progress in the early weeks, as. 

 compared with the later weeks, of each season was very 

 conspicuous. Taking the average for the whole of the sheep 

 on the ten plots the gain per head per week works out as. 

 follows : — 



Period 



In- 1897. 



In 1898. 





lbs. 



lbs. 



During the ist Month - - - 



2-26 





„ „ 2nd „ - • - 



2*01 



3'4i 



„ „ „ ' - . - 



I -lO 



177 



„ „ 4th „ - . - 



0-32 



1-25 



„ „ 5th „ - - 





loss 0 24 



At the end of each season's grazing a butcher-sales- 

 man of Newcastle visited the farm, handled all the sheep, and; 

 put the valuations upon them as shown in Table IL At the- 

 end of the second season two sheep from each plot were- 

 slaughtered and reported on from the butcher's point of view„ 

 In no case was he made acquainted with the treatment the- 

 sheep had received. While these valuations and reports are- 

 most useful as a check to the valuations deduced from the- 

 live- weight increases, it is probable that the latter are- 



T 



