Lamb Industry Efficiency In Doubt

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29222, 4 June 1960, Page 9

Lamb Industry Efficiency In Doubt

Is New Zealand’s fat lamb industry as efficient as is sometimes claimed? Speaking to the agriculture section of the ninth Science Congress in Wellington, Mr K. G. Haughey, senior veterinarian of the Ashburton Veterinary Club, cast some doubts on this claim on the basis of the high proportion of second grade carcases that are handled in some seasons. “The New Zealand fat lamb ndustry enjoys an international reputation as being one of the world's leading fat lamb producers,” said Mr Haughey in the ?ourse of a paper on lamb illthrift in the Ashburton county. “The level of efficiency as measured by the percentage of second grade carcases handled by the freezing industry must surely cast serious doubts on the validity of such ’a claim. It is a oroblem worthy, in my opinion, of urgent and serious consideration.” Variations . Mr Haughey said that examination of freezing works data relating to percentages of second grade carcases processed indicated that there were wide variations within and between years. The term second grade was a commercial term used to describe carcases lacking finish, grading being subjectively assessed on the amount and distribution of subcutaneous fat.

By courtesy of the management of the Canterbury Frozen Meat Company’s Fairfield works, Mr Haughey gave details of percentages of second grade carcases graded over a number of seasons. These showed that in 1938-39 the mean percentage of seconds was 41 per cent, of killings. in 1950-51 only 11 per cent., in 1956-57 36 per cent, and in 1958-59 45 per cent. The figures also showed that the general tendency was for the proportion of seconds to increase in the later part of the season. Tlius in June, 1939, 71 per cent, of the kill was seconds and in June last year the percentages of seconds was up to 62 per cent, compared with 16 and 22 per cent, respectively in the first month of each season.

•The situation as illustrated, applies, I believe, to the freezing industry throughout New Zealand,” continued Mr Haughey. “There is a distinct trend towards higher percentages of seconds with each succeeding month of operations. One would expect that with increasing age lambs would be heavier as the season progressed. In point of fact though lambs killed in March and April are twice the age of those killed

in December they are no heavier, end in many seasons are lighter, than those killed three to four months younger. “I am rot aware that any serious attempt has been made to determine the factors responsible for this situation. Consequently one cafi only speculate that inheritance, nutritional status, management, disease, droughts, the meat schedule and the space quota system contribute. It can be argued that ill-thrift may make a contribution, particularly in those years when ill-thrift is known to be widespread. “111-thrift is a flock problem. If failure to thrive is observed in part of the flock, will not those

lambs reaching the freezing works be affected to a lesser degree with' a higher proportion of seconds being graded?”

Mr Haughey gave the meeting figures for a trial which he said might be taken as evidence in suport of this though the trial was only a small one. Fifty sets of twins were tagged at birth, one lamb out of each pair being selected at random for treatment with selenium and one as a control. Over a period of 119 days a 61b difference had developed in favour of the treated lambs. Of 89 per cent, of the treated lambs drafted there were no seconds while out of 78 per cent, of the controls 28 per cent, •were graded as seconds.