THE FAT LAMB TRADE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 46, 17 November 1917, Page 10

THE FAT LAMB TRADE

OPPOSITION TO A MINIMUM ■■' WEIGHT. At'a meeting of tho Canterbury Shcep- ' tamers'.'Union last week, it was resolved lo Tecommend the Government that no lambjj • jindjer 3lib. weight should be . frozen'.,- /'•..'.''.. The proposal',: (says tho Christchurch ■"Press") has been .keenly discussed by fat lamb breeders,' who are strongly in ppposition to such; a restriction being plated upon them, this season. Many farmers who have grown wheat, at tho •urgent request of .'the Government, will be short'of feed for fattening lambs, and ririll want to get thoir lambs away as, early as possible off the ewes as milk, lambs. An expert in the frozen meat . trade who has been handlying and drafting fat lambs for the last twenty-five years, says there are thousands of prime lambs that go through the works every year that do not average 3<llb. In 6ome districts it is impossible to obtain heayy ■weights, as the feed in any season will go off after the New Year, and the lambs must bo got away early. A minimum of 311b. ivill practically debar half bred wether lambs from being frozen. r n ■fiow of farmers desiring to retain more live lambs this season for breeding purposes, they will require to reserve more feed, and this can only bo done by getting their freezing lambs away as early as possible. The opposition to the Canterbury Sheopowners' Union's proposal ■was expressed at tho Addington Saleyards recently, when a meeting of about 100 farmers and others interested in the frozen lamb trade was held. After the latter had been discussed it was unanimously resolved to Bend n telegram to ;the Hon. "VV. D. S. MaoDouald, ir, view 'of the conference on the frozen meat trade being held in Wellington on Friklny, strongly protesting, against the pro„*iosal' that no-lambs under 311b. should :be frozen, but-that fanners were prewired to meet tho Government by ..agreeing that no white-faced ewe lambs should 'be killed after April 1 next, and that x killing at the factories should bo confined to prime quality lambs only.