Heavy, WX grade beckons, but at less money

Press, 11 October 1985, Page 25

Heavy, WX grade beckons, but at less money

Incentives for farmers to produce heavyweight lambs out of season are included in a WX schedule set by Waitaki N.Z. Refrigerating Ltd.

The minimum carcase weights for WX lambs will be 20kg from February to September, easing to 18kg from October to January. The price per kilogram ranges from 170 c to 210 c depending on the time of year. This represents a premium of 20c to 60c above the Meat Board's 90 per cent payout for YX grade lambs. Waitaki expects to pay an average price of 183 c a kg which is a premium of 33c ahead of the YX payout. The WX schedule details were announced by Mr Chris Ward, livestock development officer for Waitaki, at a field day for the Cheviot Farm Improvement Club, held on the Waipara farm of Mr Harry Dalziel. The field day attracted a few regular WX producers, but most of the approximately 50 farmers present were there to learn about heavyweight lamb production.

Carrying lambs on to heavy weights and preventing them falling into the trimmer and fat grades were options open to farmers to help minimise the effects of this season’s low export schedule. Some farmers who produced WX lambs last season said Waitaki’s new WX schedule did not look as promising as last year’s because of the small premium during the autumn/winter period.

Mr Ward acknowledged this week that some disappointment had been expressed by farmers but the rising nature of the schedule should be attractive to farmers wanting to produceheavy lambs out of season. The minimum G.R. measurement of 12mm for WX lambs made heavy lambs easier to produce than YX lambs, which had a minimum G.R. of 9mm.

The fluctuating schedule recognised the market’s need for a year-round supply of heavy lambs, he said. Mr Ward said any farmer was welcome to supply WX lambs this season as long as

a minimum of 50 could be produced. Last season, Waitaki processed 15,000 WX lambs and 12,000 the previous year.

Markets this season wanted 50,000 lambs and the company would not be embarrassed if up to 66,000 lambs were supplied, said Mr Ward. The WX carcases are processed into a variety of cuts, attractively packaged and sold chilled to supermarkets, mostly to Japan and also to Great Britain, Honolulu, Alaska and Tahiti. Some top cuts have retailed at $2l a kg. , Because the chilled cuts were a perishable product, the whole operation depended on co-operation be-

tween farmers, freezing company, shippers and the markets. Further processing of carcases was expensive and 30 men were needed to cut 500-600 carcases a day. The average weight of WX lambs in the South Island last season was 19.8 kg and the average G.R. was 9.7 mm. They'returned an average of $41.14 to farmers. Between 70 and 80 per cent of lambs submitted as WXs last season made the grade and the remainder .were graded as PX, TH or "in extreme cases FH. Other desirable features

of WX lambs include an eye muscle diameter greater than 70mm, a meat to bone yield greater than 60 per cent, well developed hind quarters and a narrow lean shoulder.

Approximate net prices to farmers for a 20kg WX lamb (including pelt and wool) will be:- November 4, $32.70. December 2, $33.50. January 6, $36.50. February 3, $32.10. March 3, $29.70. March 17, $28.50. June 16, $28.70. July 7, $29.30. August 4, $30.10. September 1, $30.90. October 6, $31.90. October 27, $32.50.