BRANDING OF SHEEP

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25244, 24 July 1947, Page 3

BRANDING OF SHEEP

EFFECT ON FLEECES

WEIGHING OF STOCK AT FREEZING WORKS

Branding of sheep constituted a handicap to wool producers in the face of competition from synthetic fibres,, said Mr I. L. M. Coop at a meeting of the North Canterbury executive of Federated Farmers yesterday. Mr Coop explained that the meat and wool section of the organisation had met representatives of the Police Department and the Department of Agriculture about the branding of sheep. Branding was compulsory in Canterbury from April 30 onwards each year. Branding was not compulsory in other districts, but the law could be altered only by a referendum of farmers. The Wool Board was opposed to branding because of its effects on the fleece, and had produced a moving picture showing the difficulties of preparing wool for use after branding. Mr Coop added that the Meat Board had promised to investigate the weighing of farmers’ sheep and lambs at freezing works, with the object of introducing self-registering scales. In the Argentine, freezing works had modern, automatic selt-registering scales, which eliminated all guesswork. Under the present system of non-automatic scales at New Zealand freezing works, it was claimed that farmers were losing considerable sums of money every year. Mr Coop also said that an endeavour was being made to have meat schedules increased every week, instead of at longer intervals. This, it was considered, would make the selling of stock to freezing works more uniform. Mr Coop’s report was received.