STOCK BACKWARD

Evening Star, Issue 20321, 1 November 1929, Page 16

STOCK BACKWARD

HEAVY LAMBING LOSSES [Speciai. to the ‘ Star.’! CEfRTSTCFiUI’ICIf, Ocoher 31. Owing to the shortage of feed this season, stock from the sheep runs of Canterbury, generally speaking, will not reach the market as early as usual. Good quality lamb may just be in time to take its customary place on the Christmas menu, but at present it is backward. An absence of sun, and cold snaps early in the season were a big setback to stock. Snowstorms caused heavy lambing losses, and bad a retarding effect on the growth of the survivors The cold conditions of early spring were followed by a period of low rainfall, and feed has been scarce. “There is an inadequate growth of pasture generally in Canterbury, and stock is suffering,” said Mr W. IT. Nicholson, secretary of the Canterburv Sheepowners’ Union, to-day. “1 have heard many complaints that the flocks are backward, and I have not heard anyone say that his stock is better than usual. The season has been a bad one.” . Early shearing has commenced in North "Canterbury. Flocks which have come in from the high country show big shortages, which have .been causer) by snowstorms in the early season. The full extent of the losses cannot be arrived at until all the flocks have come in, but preliminary muster, indicate that the total loss will be sub stantial. - ■. >