Although management practices on fattening farms differ throughout the country, it is proposed for the sake of brevity to describe the annual cycle of operations on a farm where pasture alone is used for feeding the flock. The essential problem on such a farm is to equate the variable seasonal production of pasture to the needs of the flock. Pasture growth is rapid in the spring, falls off during the dry period of summer to an extent which varies widely between districts, increases again with the advent of autumn rains, and then declines to a low level during the winter. The food requirements of the breeding ewe are also variable. Feed additional to that required to maintain body weight is needed before and during the mating period in the autumn, during the last month of pregnancy in the late winter, and during lactation in the spring. These requirements fit in well with seasonal pasture production because the increase needed for lactation coincides with the ample spring pasture growth and because a high proportion of the lambs are sold fat off the farm before the summer reduction in pasture growth. Special provision, however, must be made for the period of late pregnancy, either by saving pasture grown in the autumn for use in late winter or by conserving surplus spring growth of the previous year as hay or silage.

The ewes required to bring the flock up to the number which can be carried through the winter are bought in during late January and February. Replacement Southdown rams will usually have been purchased earlier. The date on which the rams are joined with the ewes varies considerably. It may be as early as late February in parts of the North Island to as late as mid-April in parts of the South Island, the date in each case being chosen so that the lambs will be born in time to ensure maximum utilisation of the spring growth of pasture. For efficient lamb production, it is important that the ewes be put on a rising plane of feeding commencing three weeks before the rams are joined and continuing for a further month. This practice is known as “flushing” and has the effect of increasing the proportion of twin lambs born. After the flushing programme has been completed, the ewes may be grazed on a low plane of nutrition without disadvantage. Opportunity is taken at this stage to spell the pasture on as large a part of the farm as possible. The grass thus saved is rationed out to the ewes during late July and August when pasture growth is at its lowest level and when the increasing food demands of the pregnant ewes need to be met. In June or July, the ewes are “crutched”, i.e., the wool around the hindquarters and flanks is removed so that the lamb, when born, may be able to suckle the ewe easily. The ewes may be drafted into groups according to their likely date of lambing. In this way the early lambing group can be given preferential treatment.

Lambing in the spring (August and September) is a busy time of the year for the farmer. The shepherd has to assist ewes which have difficulty in lambing, to foster lambs which have lost their mothers on to ewes which have lost their lambs, and to try to keep weakly lambs alive in bad weather. On some farms, ewes with twin lambs are drafted into separate paddocks from those with singles so that they can be given preferential treatment. Lambs are usually ear-marked and “docked”, i.e., they have their tails removed at about three weeks of age, the ram lambs being castrated at the same time. At this stage pasture is becoming plentiful, and consideration should be given to the purchase of cattle to consume the excess growth not required by the flock.

The time at which shearing takes place is variable. A common practice is to wait till the first draft of fat lambs has been taken in December, when the remaining lambs are weaned and the ewes shorn. After weaning, the ewes may be concentrated in one mob and used to graze out rough pastures, while the lambs are grazed on the best pasture. Lambs are sent to the freezing works as they become fat. Normally the last lambs are fattened in February, while the aged ewes which are not fit for further breeding, are sold off for slaughter as opportunity permits. Dipping, spraying, or dusting of sheep, to control keds and lice, is commonly done in February. The cycle of operations then starts again for the next season.