Influence of Manures on Mutton. 



3^9 



the hay yield by the live-weight yield, and thus ascertain 

 what weight of pasture, reckoned as hay, has been required 

 to give one pound of live-weight increase. In this respect 

 there is nothing to choose between Plot 3 (large dose of slag) 

 and Plot 7 super and potash . There the pasture-equivalent 

 •of about 20 jibs, of hay has increased the live weight of the 

 sheep by 1 lb. Next in order of merit comes Plot 8 (super plus 

 lime , after which there does not appear to be a great deal of 

 difference in the feeding properties of the herbage of several 

 plots. At the bottom of the list we find the unmanured plot 

 and the plot getting common lime, 35/ilb. of pasture cal- 

 culated as hay from the former plot, and 38"81bs. from the 

 latter, having been required to add 1 lb. of live-weight 

 increase to the sheep. 



The other portion of Table IV. shows the average live 

 and dead weights of the two sheep taken from certain plots 

 for slaughter. There is not a great deal of difference in the 

 percentages of mutton, which are all low. 



Along with the sheep from the plots the butcher removed 

 two sheep from amongst the reserves. The average weight 

 of these animals was I23lbs. live, and 64|lbs. dead, showing 

 a percentage of carcase of 52.4. This proportion of mutton is 

 distinctly higher than in the case of any of the experimental 

 animals, and would indicate that although the close confine- 

 ment has not interfered with live-weight increase, it has, 

 in another respect, made its influence felt. 



The butcher reported on the carcases of the animals 

 selected for slaughter as follows :— " Reserves are the best 

 mutton. Nos. 1, 3, and 4 are next in order, followed by 

 No. 10. Nos. 5, 7, 8, and 9 are as near alike as need be. As to 

 the whole, they are very much like most of the sheep this dry 

 season — they kill with a want of kidney suet and weigh 

 badly." 



While the season's grazing with sheep is the method ot 

 testing the results that is most depended on, and is the main 

 feature of the experiments, it may be mentioned that at the 

 end of each summer a considerable amount of food was still 

 present on the plots, and, in this respect, all were not alike. 

 This " roughness" has been utilised by store cattle, with 



