Farmers Ask Board To Display Lamb Carcases

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30109, 18 April 1963, Page 6

Farmers Ask Board To Display Lamb Carcases

The Meat Producers' Board is to be asked to display at fat-lamb competitions carcases and cuts suitable for the overseas trade. A motion to that effect was carried yesterday at a meeting of the executive of the meat and wool section of North Canterbury Federated Farmers.

Mr T. G. Maxwell, who moved the motion, said there was need lor the board to ship back to New Zealand from Britain carcases and cuts of the ideal type. One could go to a fart-lamb com-

petition at a freezing works and see carcases hanging up. but there was no place where it said, "These are the ideal lambs.” Federated Farmers should ask the Meet Board to put on display these ideal carcases and cuts.

Mir W. N. Dunlop, seconding the motion, said that if these carcases and cuts were on display here “we would have some clues on how to go about producing them.”

Mr J. W. Tinniswood said that rather then bring lambs back from London, would it not be better to bring the judges back?

Mr Maxwell said the motion was the germ of an idea. If tile Meat Board accepted it the board could perhaps work out something better. It might have a film showing the process from producer to retailer. Lamb Weights The following remit from the Springston Branch was withdrawn after discussion: “That the weight-range gap for lighter-weight lamb is too wide, and that the range be: up to 281 b, 291 b to 321 b, 331 b to 361 b, 371 b to 421 b.”

The remit was moved by Mr H. A. Foster and seconded by Mr D. G. McGrath.

Mir R. E. Hiatt, chairman of the section, said this question had been discussed frequently by the section council in Wellington. The answer from the Meat Board was that the board would not do anything about it in the meantime.

Mir A. C. Wright, provincial president of North Canterbury Federated Farmers, said the reply the Dominion council received from the board was that until the trade settled down it would be better not to make any change. It would only be beating the air to go on with the .remit. “What we should concentrate on is the problem of the overfat lamb,” said Mr Wright. The Meat Board said there had never been more favourable comment on New Zealand lambs than there was last year when there were so many light-weight lambs. This year there were overfart lambs. Of the 22,000 overfat lambs from New Zealand, only 215 were from North Canterbury and MidCanterbury.

“The board is looking at alterations in the grading all the time. I don’t know if you are going to get anywhere with the remit. I

think you would be better to leave it alone,” said Mr Wright. • The remit was withdrawn on the voices. Shearing The secretary (Mr A. E. G. Lyttle* read a report on shearing inetruction in Southland which said trainees paid for the course and could be raw recruits. In North Canterbury the course was free, but those who went to the course at Lincoln College had to have shorn a specified number of sheep. Mr McGrath asked how many went into the beginners’ course here. Mr Lyttle said he could not say ofEtatod. Mr Hiatt said the information would be sought. Mr McGrath said it appeared to him there was not any shortage of shearers. Mr Hiatt said he thought the general situation was improving. Mr R. H. Bedford said this did not mean there would not be a shortage in the future. “Shearers come and go. There is a bigger wastage than in any other job,” he said.