MARKETING SKINS

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume LIV, Issue 22, 21 March 1933, Page 2

MARKETING SKINS

POINTS FOR ATTENTION.

OBTAINING TOP VALUE.

Undoubtedly a serious loss is sustained by many farmers and graziers through lack of necessary attention to sheep skins, states Mr J. Ludd, manager Temora Experimntal Farm, Nw South Wales, in the Agriculture Gazette. Instead of being carefully treated, dried and marketed in the best condition and in the most profitable market, they are often left to dry on fences, where they are liable to damage by dogs or cats and to heavy loss in weight and condition from the action of sun and weather, and when stacked (at a later date) in the shed, treatment is not given to prevent weevil attack. When it comes to marketing, the skins are often disposed of to the first dealer who visits the property, who allows himself a liberal margin for the labour of consigning, together with the usual trade profit, which extra return could well be retained by the grower. The following procedure should not only prove interesting, but highly profitable to those who care to adopt similar methods.

The skins are removed carefully to avoid cutting or. flesh being left on the pelt; they are placed in a shed immediately killing is finished, spread out, wool side down, and shortly after treated by painting with an arsenic wash to prevent damage by weevil. When reasonably dry the skins are stacked, wool side up, piling one skin on top of another as high as the skins can with ease be stacked. The drying process being carried out in the shade, together with the stacking of the skins, results in. a greater weight being retained in the skin and also a greater measure of condition and quality.

The arsenic wash is extremely cheap; enough ingredients can be purchased for 1/6 to last for several years. The wash is made as follows: Boil one dessertspoonful each of arsenic and washing soda in a pint of water, and add water sufficient to fill an ordinary 71b. treacle tin. The mixture can be painted on<with a brush

lor swab. The savings that can be effected by careful treatment and efficient marI keting are exemplified by the follow- ; ing figures quoted by a sheepfarmer who had adopted this method. A recent consignment of skins to Sydney, representing a collection made over six months and comprising skins for one-quarter wool to three-quarter wools, returned an average price per skin of 4/2, after paying freight, handling and commission charges amounting to approximately 6d per skin. As the price in the district over the same period was approximately 1/6 per skin, the loss owners are sustaining on sheep skins as the result of inefficient handling and marketing methods can be readily appreciated.