FAT LAMBS.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18673, 23 April 1926, Page 10

FAT LAMBS.

TO IMPROVE CANTERBURY PRODUCT. SOUTHDOWN BREEDERS' PROPOSALSIn the office of the secretary of the Canterbury A. and P. Association on the Addington Show Grounds, a meeting of Canterbury breeders of Southdown sheep was held yesterday afternoon in continuation of a meeting held on the 7th' inst, when plans for the importation'of Down stud sheep were 'discussed. About fifteen attended. Mr John Deans was voted to the chair. The chairman said that the meeting was the outcome of one held a fortnight ago, when a suggestion was made [that a Breeders' Association should be •formed. ' The North Island breeders had been communicated with, but no reply /had been received. It would not be .worth while to form an Association ,without the North Island breeders, who were more numerous than those in 'the South Island. ' Mr W. J. Jenkins said one of the reasons,for the formation of the Asso,fiation was that North Island breeders bought stud rams early, and Canterbury farmers were debarred from purchasing. As a result Canterbury farmers had to take cither the breeders' culls, or pay an exorbitant price for a few select rams at the. fair. If a fair were held in January, the Canterbury farmers would be able to procure the rams they needed, perhaps at 'a reasonable price. • They could not expect prices to keep up in tho future as they had done the last few years. He did not- think it would be possible 'to hold such a fair unless there was a .Breeders' Association which could control the sale of rams as they thought fit. 'He agreed that it was not much use •starting the Association without the •co-operation of the North Island breeders, and he regretted that they had not received a letter from. them on the 'subject, but It seemed to him that surely • 'they must be in accord'with the wishes of the South Island, breeders, as it .'must be to their interests to join in: .the publication of a flock book. Association- Proposed. ' He moved: "That ■ a Southdown 1 'Breeders' Association bo. i formed in conjunction with the North Island breeders." He added that they should get in touch with the North Island breeders at once,»to ascertain if they, 'would co-operate with them. Mr John Grigg said that he believed in the formation of an Association, but not for the reasons stated.by the mover, because he thought it was not possible to fix a date for the fair that would suit; both Islands. As Canterbury farm-i era taking,culls, that would cure itself. when flocks increased, as seemed prob 1 -; able; seeing that the Down sheep wero, the best to give quality'. He second-! Ed the motion,'on'the understanding "that the North Island breeders join'ed in and made one Association. In j the North Island there were two flocks ,to one in the* South Island, and without their co-operation they would not be of much account. ' The. chairman, said that he had disi cussed the 1 question of a fair with sev.eral breeders, who expressed the opinion that it would be difficult to. hold breeders back. If a man was offered good prices early in the season, he 'would be- foolish fa-refuse them. ; There were other, directions in which the proposed, Association ; would be of value— such ,*'s looking after the interests' of breeders, and seeing that the. judges at shows were competent. If the, motion were carried he suggested that a small committee should be set up to confer with North Island breeders. Mr D.-'G. Wright did not think that they could apply any compulsion to breeders, who should be allowed to mar'ket their stock' as the'y saw fit.' , The chairman remarked that* in' the present, circumstances,, the ;South Island farmer'had the same chance' of buying as the North. Islander; . Mr Wright said that,while individual , buyers in' the/ South wanted onljj one or " two,' North Island purchksera took lots 'of tens..' '-' : ' '' " ; ' ; " ' . The' chairman ■ said 1 1that. Canterbury ,was losing its preeminence in the. fat lamb, trade through not using Southdown rams. / . The motionwas agreed: to. - . A Committee consisting > iof, Messrs ■John,Deans,)John Grigg, and-W. J. Jenkins/was *et up to-meet the representatives of North Island Southdown < breeders to discuss the formation of an Association. ;t > ' Mr Grigg asked if the North Island breeders did not see fit to agree to .'the formation o£ the' Association," would jitH.be/ gone; on with.: •' .. The chairman said, that if that happened, the proposal, would be dropped; f that was'embodied in the resolution. \ , Importation o{ Bams and Ewes. , ~<,; Regarding,, the decision of, the .previous meeting to import, 15 ; two-tooth 'rams and" 10. two-tooth ewes in lamb, 'to arrive not later than January 31at ■ -next, Mr P. J..Ellis, of Bulls, wrote .that he presumed, that the South Visland, breeders were working ,jn conjunction Twith the N.Z. Sheepb'reeders' 'Association, and had communicated •their direct to the English ( Bouthdown Association. That Association, he thought, would take any. augf;estion from New Zealand lead, h all probability all the sheep would be sent to, Wellington : and sold' after -c.omlng out of quarantine. The date of landing—not later than January 31st—ibe pointed out that the Bheep would have to go. into quarantine for . six weeks'after landing, and that it would be the middle, of March before they g6t on to the purchasers' this 'would be decidedly "too late for" the 1 North Island.. His.experience was that M was desirable (if at all possible) ~-td have imported.rams on the farm:for at. least one, month, before they, were used. .'.".' ;'...'. After some discussion it was decided to ask that the imported stock should reach the Dominion not later than December 31st next, and that the stock for Canterbury should be shipped to Lyttelton. A suggestion that an endeavour should be made to get the rams landed in time for them to be sold at the November Show was discussed, but it was . thought that it was doubtful if they could be shipped early enough, seeing that foot-and-mouth disease was still prevalent in England. • Challenge Cap Proposed. The chairman said that even though the Association was not formed, they could do something by offering special prizes for Down sheep. He suggested that the breeders should offer a challenge cup for the best pen of three * Southdown lambs most suitable for the frown meat trade. The competition ■ could ,be on lines similar to the Meat Board's competition, except that the of the cup would be withheld tilj they saw which brought the most - value in London test was • the more important. After some discussion it was decided, 1«n the motion of Mr H. E. Fincham, to circulawe breeders of Down sheep

in Canterbury and asccrtain if they were willing to subscribe funds.for-a cup to be competed for on the hnes sucircsted by Mr Deans. BcLng the meeting, the chairman said that tbe committee set up would coll a conference with North Island breeders of Down sheep as soop. as possible, and see what could be done in the matter of forming a Breeders' Association. MEAT BOARD'S COMPETITION. At yesterday's meeting of breeders of Down sheep in Canterbury, an interesting . point concerning the Meat Board's' prize at the Royal Show for fat lambs suitable for the London market was raised by Mr It. W. Lochhead. Mr Lochhead said that he thought :liat the report of the result of-the Meat Board's competition would be improved if it gave details similar to those given in the Canterbury A. and P. Association's wool and mutton competitions—such as the live weights, dressed weights, value of carcase, and of skin. Mr John Deans said that the annual report of the Meat Board gave details as to loss of weight after slaughtering. Mr Lochhead said that the information" should Be given in" tabular" form, similar to the Canterbury Association's wool and mutton competitions. ' It was decided to bring the matter up at the next meeting .of the General Committee of the Canterbury A. and V'. Association, with the view of representations being rhade to the Meat Board on the lines suggested.