From David Brown, Woolover
Temuka, New Zealand
I am writing in response to Les Ward’s comments about the trialling of
Woolover lamb covers (Letters, 9 August, p 50).
The trial mentioned in the article did not deliberately set out to expose
newborn lambs to uncharacteristic and unnecessarily harsh weather conditions,
but highlighted the weather conditions that can and do occur in this region. If
none of the animals had been covered, the lamb losses would have been
considerably higher.
New Zealand farmers lamb in spring, when feed is plentiful and weather
conditions generally favourable.
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However, the Canterbury Plains are flat and very exposed to southerly weather
fronts and in this area during spring, a southerly storm can hit very quickly.
The temperature can then drop 15 degrees in minutes. If this happens farmers can
lose many lambs through hypothermia.
Ward suggests bringing sheep down to the lowlands to protect the animals from
the weather but as Canterbury is a flat plain at low altitude that is obviously
not an option. Ward also mentions housing indoors. That option is not possible
in New Zealand, as a typical farm may have 2000 to 3000 ewes.
Before developing the Woolover lamb cover, I was a farmer in the south
Canterbury region and am only too aware of the devastation that bad weather can
bring to young lambs. My intention is to minimise lamb losses in New Zealand. I
do not condone any unnecessary cruelty to animals.
