AUCKLAND LAMBS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 230, 28 September 1928, Page 8

AUCKLAND LAMBS.

"HARD TO BEAT."

YET MUST BE IMPROVED.

DOWN QUALITY IN DEMAND.

'"Some of the lambs shipped from Auckland last season would be hard to beat in any part of the world." This assertion was made to-day by Mr. J. E. Makgill, chairman of the Auckland larmers' Freezing Company, in his annual address to shareholders. Mr. Makgill said of the past season's operations: The past season lias been easily a record for our killing of lambs and this despite the fact that the other works in these districts had also a full share and that a very considerable number of lambs were taken out of the Auckland districts for slaughter at works further south. This last fact seems a pity, as it must mean considerable loss of trade to Auckland and the moving of lambs for longer distances than is really needful must tend to actual loss of weight and therefore depreciation of quality of our product. This is a serious matter, when we know that to hold the place we do in the world's markets for lamb we must aim at maintaining our advantage in quality, which other producing countries are striving hard to overtake. It is pleasing to know from reports from London that our Auckland Farmers' Freezing Company's brands of lamb are gaining in reputation for quality and the farmers are to be congratulated on the marked improvement of the last few years. There is much room for improvement still, although some lines ! would be hard to beat in any part of the world. The Smithtield prices of the past season have been on a payable level, ranging from lOd per lb in January last for 28/36 prime down to BJd in April, and back to 10d per lb by June. As showing the call for light-weight lambs it has been again noticeable that second quality, averaging 30 to 321b, has never been more than Ad below primes, and often at practically the same level. Our aim should be to produce a wellshaped, reasonably fat, well-covered carcase of about 331b weight. The Down quality of flesh is also clearly in demand. To hold our leading position for lambs in the world's market we must aim at producing what the public demand.

The Dominion killings for 1927-28 wore 3,814,225 lamb*, an increase of 470,122 over 1926-27 season, so the importance of this trade to the Dominion is a verv serious one.