Freezing Lambs for Export.

Hastings Standard, Issue 395, 10 August 1897, Page 4

Freezing Lambs for Export.

At the meeting of the committee of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association recently, Mr George Gould gave notice to move at the next meeting : " That thi-; association approach the local freezing companies and endeavor to secure their co-opera-tion in establishing and maintaining a close season in the lamb export trade —say, from May to October inclusive —during which no lambs should be slaughtered for export." In giving notice of his motion Mr Gould pointed out that the lamb season now commenced in November and continued to July, which was far too late. After the end of April the lambs had to be fed on turnips and other artificial food, and this tended to give the carcases a flavor which was foreign to lamb, and caused the New Zealand product to suffer in the estimation of the London buyers. It had beeu noticeable for the past six or seven years that lambs arriving in London from August to October had invariably realised low prices, and with the object of keeping up the average and the good name of Canterbury lamb it was in the interest of the trade that the freezing of lambs during these months should be discontinued, or that they should be branded at " tegs." The damage done to the flocks by the continued heavy drain of sending away all the best of the young sheep was beginning to make itself felt, and were this practice continued they would end bv causing such deterioration in their flocks that they would lose the good name which had been earned by " prime Canterbury" mutton. Several other members of the committee expressed their entire sympathy with the motion, and thanked Mr Gould for having brought if forward.