AUSTRALIAN LAMB

Shannon News, 15 November 1927, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN LAMB

IN SHORT SUPPLY.

Prospects for the Australian frozen lamb export season, which has just opened- are not particularly bright as regards supplies states the ".Pastoral Review." Owing to the dry weather in the eastern States losses of lambs were considerably above normal in most of the districts from which freezers are drawn. In addition, feed has been so. scanty that a large pc-r----centage of the lambs that were saved have, not matured satisfactorily. The result is that really well-finished carcases are exceedingly scarce, and the competition of the local butchering - ._ trade is forcing prices of what are available above oversea parity. So far, the bulk of the offerings in the metropolitan yards have been of in-" j different to poor quality. . poor de-cide-dly predominating. On present appearances exports are not likely to exceed 750 000 carcasses, which represents a big falling off from last season's output of 1,911,000. At the beginning of October exporters were paying round 7d. per lb., bare meat, and in some instances more, for the few prime weights then available, as \ against a maximum of s:,'d. last sea- , eon. Stcondary and lower grades have been bought for less than 6d.