Emphasis On Early Lamb

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31832, 9 November 1968, Page 11

Emphasis On Early Lamb

“Members will recall that we advised them of our efforts to persuade the Meat Board and the meat exporting companies to have the meat schedule altered in such a way that it would encourage lamb producers to provide early lambs,” the president, Mr W. J. MacLeod, of Feilding, said in his annual report to the Southdown Sheep Society of New Zealand.

“Unfortunately the companies have not yet indicated whether or not they have been able to evolve some system which would provide an incentive for early killings.

“The meat exporters have a problem in that they do not know the prices that will be received for early shipments, but past experience has shown that there has been a very distinct advantage to the lamb producer in having his lambs into the works at an early date. "There is no doubt that the price received for prime lamb depends to a very large extent on sound farm management, which must include taking advantage of good sires and early maturity," he said. The Southdown, he said, provided good sires producing quality and conformation

and at the same time early maturity.

i “New Zealand has markets for top prime lambs because it produces better prime lambs than any other country. Efforts to open new markets for our lamb are progressing and the success of these efforts may be attributed to the quality of meat that our exporters are able to offer. In order that they may succeed in their export efforts, it is the duty of the New Zealand lamb producer to see that he continues to provide this quality. He in turn has to rely on the stud breeder, and it is here that we as a society have a very responsible duty." Mr MacLeod said that no stud breeder should, at any time, no matter how strong the demand, sell an inferior sheep. “I make no apology in repeating the request of our council to members to cull rigidly.”