SOUTHERN SHEEP.

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 16, 19 January 1924, Page 7

SOUTHERN SHEEP.

FREEZING SEASON OPENS EARLY.

* (II lILEOBAPH.—SPKCIAI TO THE POST.) DUNEDIN, This Day. The Burnside Works of the New Zealand Refrigerating Company opened for the season yesterday. Plenty of sheep and lambs, 'principally lambs, are coming to hand; in fact the supply is so liberal, owing to the dry season, that there- are not quite enough expert slaughtermen available to deal at once with all that nre offering; but that will no doubt be shortly remedied. Killing has begun a fortnight earlier than usual, and all the usual hands were not quite ready to begin so soon. It is expected that the works will bo fully manned very shortly. As to the prospects of the season, it is somewhat early to indulge in a general prophecy, but it has started well, and a dry season is usually favourable in Otago. The works of the South Otago Freezing Company at Finegand, hear Balclutha, also reopened yesterday under favourable conditions, as to the i supply of stock and the enrolment of men; and the freezing establishment at Pukeuri Junction is "going stronfr." The most reliable news from the remote sheep !.stations in Otago and Southland as to the results of the summer mustering is highly satisfactory. One of the leading stock and station agents said to-day that all his back country clients had found that the loss in sheep as a result of the winter floods,, and snow storms was lighter than was anticipated. Local pastures proved to be nourishing, and sheep that coilld not move about freely found enough feed not only to keep them alive, but to preserve their condition to some extent. The loss by mortality is not so much as the loss of quality in the wool. Some of jt has become very tender. This tenderness; however, is not so serious a matter as it used to be. The modern-machines are so constructed as to bind the in the staple. iVewed all round, the sheep farmers' portion is quite comfortable. The expected losses are not serious, and the prices at the auctions are beyond anticipations.