Penalising Quality.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 14 February 1921, Page 3

Penalising Quality.

ANOMALY OF FAT SHEEP MARKET.

No industry has been hit more heavily during the last six or nine months than that connected with wool and mutton, but breeders of fat sheep .for the export market appear to have cause for additional complaint in the ruling scale of prices of the exporting companits. Last year the price paid for fat 2-tooth wethers was sevenpenuc per' lb, irrespective of weight, but now a jdjding scale, on a much lower basis, is in operation, as follows: 501 b sheep, »2d per lb; 661 b sheep, 5Jd per lb; over 721 b, 4|dl per lb. One of the largest and most successful fat sheep breeders of this district informed a Chronicle roporter on Saturday that the price offering for the heavy two-tooth wether was putting a penalty on the man who endeavoured to raise a superior article, because it took years of experience and not a little skill—leaving out altogether the question of expense—to produce the best. For years, he said, he made a. specialty of wintering a largeportion of his lambs, carrying forward generally a number equivalent to his breeding flocks, the latter usually in the vicinity of 760 ewes. The best of the ©we lambs were kept for breeding, as an important part of farming was j the care of young stock to secure permanence in the flock. It was something of a Record to be able to carry quality «n young sheep through the winter, but he had always made special provision for this, and they all wintered well last season, coming through the spring and summer splendidly. Yet h< is penalised for producing the best elass of sheep. His last consignment of 18* 2-tooth wethers—one of the best lots he had ever bred, with not- a secondclass sheep among them—comprised I2t! averaging 561 b, 39 661 b, and 17 761 b. for which he was paid - the- abovequoted prices. He pointed out that the 761 b sheep, which is the lowest priced, produced the best mutton in the world). It was a good fleshy sheep without gross fat, and its quality could not be beaten. Evidently the best quality*is not wanted, and, on the other hand encouragement is given to raise inferior stuff. This was an unfortunate thing for the country, andi fatal to an endeavour to get the best in prime .export mutton. ————■