Hawke's Bay Herald. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 1892. THE FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 9265, 27 April 1892, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Herald. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 1892. THE FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

To find out too typo o! Blieep most) suited to tho frozen meat trade socraa as diili. cult as to locate the pea in the old game of tbimble-riggiog. English sheep arei as a rale, large framed. Tho heavy Lin" coins, Leicesters, Hampshires, and Shrop3hires aro approbated in the localities where they are grown, though, no doubt, the mmller Wolsh and Scotch breeds aro considered tho patnesb mutton. Looking at this broad fact, one would think that a frozen big sheep would be the most profitable, for though it mighb not net quite so mnch per pound, it would

fcfog more per carcase. Yet for years pasli we ho re heard complaints to the effect that the tendency of oar sheep farmers to grow larger aheep was injuring the market. This year most of the leading freezing companies are grading the sheep sent to them, and weight is an Important element. If a carcase exceeds a certain weight, thongh it may be the very best of mutton, it is graded as second-class. In tho face of this it seems odd to hear an undoubted authority like Mr Matson, of Chtistchurch, raising bis voice against the production of smaller sheep. He quotes from one of bis London correspondent", who writes;— "We wish you could see the Queensland, Sydney, ■ and River Plate mutton that is now coming forward. You would be surprised at Its quality. More, as a New Zealander, you would be apprehensive. My firm opinion is, if you go on as you are doing, your mutton will not top the tree very long. Your qnalitjes are all on the downward track, these other countries are an the upward and improving one, and tbe result is a foregone conclusion. Fancy Plate abeep weighing np to 801 b, and good at that." Mr Matson ascribes the deterioration in Canterbury sheep to the practice of freezing maiden owes and lambs. Only the best are wanted for freezing, and the earliest as a rule provide what is required, linb the earliest are generally the beat-constltu-tloned, and consequently best adapted for keeping up the quality ot the flocks. Mr Matson maintains that tbe Canterbury flacks, especially small farmers' flocks, which are the most depleted to supply stock lor freezing, have already undergone serious depreciation, and that if the practice is persisted in the result will be disastrous. In the North Island, or at any rate in Hawke's Bay, no such warning note has been raised, probably because our sheepfarmers look more to improving their flocks than to temporary increased profits, and so do not freeze tbeir maiden ewes. Here the obief complaint of the freezing companies has been tbe tendency to produce too large sheep. Perhaps that is explainable by the fact that we have very few merinos left, and the bulk of onr flocks go heavily to tbe Lincoln. In Canterbury nearly half the ewes are still merinos, and the first! cross with a longwool breed gives tbe best carcase for freezing. Bat among tho small farmers pure longwools are mostly bred, and they must) ran to size in Canterbury as much as in Hawke's Bay. It is a thousand pities that our sheepfarmers cannot agree on what is really tbe most profitable sheep, taking carcaae, wool, constitution, and habits into account. Time will solve the problem, and tbe solution will, no donbt, be that) certain parts, of the colony are best adapted for one breed or cross, and other parts for a different type. Bat in view of the improved character of the Argentine flocks, and the determination of the Australian sheepfarmers to largely increase their shipments of frozen mutton, time is precious. We are at present at tbe top of the tree as regards frozen mutton. If the trade is to continue as profitable to us as in the past, we must maintain that snpremacy. To do that we must) produce the best carcase we can. To let oar Hooks deteriorate wonld be suicidal, for our competitors, improving tbeir flocks, would soon be on a level with us.