IN THE ARGENTINE.

Putaruru Press, Volume IV, Issue 164, 23 December 1926, Page 6

IN THE ARGENTINE.

DECLINE IN PRICES. The New Zealand Meat Producers Board has received the following letter from its South American representative, dated 19th October, 1926: The mild winter experienced was favourable for cattle putting on flesh, and with the advent of spring there was an unusually-abundant supply of fat cattle, whose value has suffered a very considerable decline, and in consequence producers have been active in raising charges against the freezing companies, who were accused of complicity in bringing down the values of fat cattle, though few trouble to consider that there is an abnormal supply of fat cattle with a large percentage of animals over the stipulated weight to be acceptable as prime chillers and are in consequence only worth the price of plain beef destined for Continental markets. It is stated that the heavyweight cattle are . being utilised for canning purposes in some of the plants, though I this is hardly likely on an extensive ! scale, as fat beef is not the best adapted for canning purposes even though it is cheaper than plain stuff, of which there is little offering at present.

Values for all classes of fat sheep and lambs have suffered a considerable decline, which is difficult to account for, though it has to be admitted there have been heavy arrivals in the local sheep market. One of the peculiarities of the trade is that ewes are worth the same value as wethers. That refers to fat animals which are adapted for the local trade when all the superfluous fat is stripped from their backs and the utility part of the carcase is suitable for the local trade, where the cutting of meat is vastly, distinct from the accepted practice in Britain.

Aftosa, or foot and mouth disease, is generally prevalent all over the country, and in consequence many lots of fat steers accepted by the revisers for the freezing companies have been held back till they recover, as there are increased precautions regarding the slaughter of animals infected with that disease, when formerly little attention was paid to such a common occurrence. The veterinary authorities have given instructions through the Ministry of Agriculture that all animals showing signs of infection or those that have not completely recovered from that disease cannot under any conditions be accepted for slaughter in the works. A number of New Zealand-bred Holsteins were offered on this market over a month ago, when relatively few were disposed of at auction, and it has to be recognised that they appeared small when compared with the big, well-grown representatives of the breed imported from their country of origin, and with many show yard records to their credit. I am not aware how the New Zealand owners fared, though I am in a position to know that the owners of the Dutch cattle lost around £7OO sterling on their shipment. The prices paid .for live stock in this country at the present time are as follow: Chiller grade of steers, 28-29 cents (5.66d-5.86d) per kilo live weight put in the plants ; freezer grade of cattle, 26 cents (5.26 d) ; Continental, 23-24 cents (4.65d-4.85d) ; canners, 18-20 cents (3.64d-4.04d). Sheep. "Wethers, 25 -27 cents (5.06d-5.46d) per pound estimated dressed weight ; ewes, same price ; hoggets, 30-32 cents (6.07d-6.47d) ; spring lambs, 41-43 cents (8.29 - S.7d). Present rate of exchange is : £1 sterling, 11.86 pesos.