Feilding District Fat Lambs

Manawatu Times, Volume 59, Issue 268, 15 November 1934, Page 3

Feilding District Fat Lambs

FINE DISPLAY POE MEAT BOARD’S COMPETITION. QUALITY PLEASING TO JUDGES. Feilding entries in tlie New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board’s district fat lanrb export competition were dealt with at Messrs. Thos. Borthwick's works at Feilding yesterday and the 234 lambs representing 78 pens of three lambs each w r ere an outstanding representation of the high quality of the fat lambs produced in this district. In addition to the prescnco of a large gathering of breeders there were in attendance the agricultural students of the Eoilding High School and a number of fat stock buyers who had no hesitation in volunteering the opinion that the exhibition was easily the best yet seen in Feilding. The entries constituted a record for tho Feilding district and this may be taken as an indication of a growing interest in the competition as well as a recognition of the value of the Meat Board’s scheme in educating breeders to produce the carcaso most suitable for the London trade. The experiment of yarding the lambs the night previous to the live judging proved satisfactory in every way. It was unfortunate that it rained over night for this resulted in the appearance of the lambs suffering and they did not look as well yesterday morning as when they were penned up. That, however, did not affect the live judging which was in the hands of Mr. F. C. Stowcll, of Masterton. This judge of fat lambs was impressed at the outset with the wonderful quality of the entry and after handling the several pens set about Ihe task of making his awards. With the quality so generally even it was not without difficulty that he settled upon the following decision:— M. D. (Jolquhoun (pen 55) .. .. .1 A. C. Maxwell (pen 10) .... 2 .Short Est. (pen 35) 3 E. A. Twigg (pen 3) ...... 4 B. S. Lawrence (pen (13) .... 5 .1. !M. Campbell (pen 13) .... 6 The prizes for tho live judging were awarded by Messrs. Sims, Cooper, Ltd. As tho live judging was proceeding Messrs. Borthwick announced that they had decided to give £6 (is as prizemoney for tho best carcases, the money to be allocated as follows: £3 3s for Ist, £2 2s for second and £1 3s for third. This announcement added interest to the competition and as tho killing proceeded breeders manifested the keenest possible interest in the carcases as they came before them. Tho opportunity to comparo tho judging of Mr. Stowcll with the resultant carcase made for an interest which was quickened as Mr. .T. Drysdale, tho Meat Board’s grader, came forward to make his awards for Messrs. Borthwick’s prizes. The awards were as follows:

B. 8. Lawrence (pen G 3) .... J. AV. G. Booth (pen 20) ...... 2 if. D. Colquhoim (pen 55) .... 3 .1. M. Campbell (pen 10) .... 4 A. C. Maxwell (pen 20) ...... 5 A. Campbell (pen IS) 6 E. A. Twigg (pen 3) 7 Tho first prizo pen in this competition took tho eye of all present and the comment of buyers prior to tho judging indicated that tho three carcases would bo hard to beat. They were certainly outstanding and a credit to the breeder and his knowledge of what was desired for the competition. Although not given a place in the live judging tho second pen of Mr. W. G. Booth secured second place in tho carcaso judging and the winning pen in tho live judging secured third place. Sixth aivard went to a pen exhibited by Mr. A. Campbell, the three carcases being very oven, each turning the scales at 30.

Tho dead weights of the lambs placed in the live judging were as follows: Pen 53: 311b5., 331b5., 341bs. Pen 19: 351b5., SClbs., 371bs. Pen 35: 361b5., SClbs., 351bs. Pen 3: 381b5., SSlbs., 3Tibs. Pen C 3: 341b5., SClbs., SClbs. Pen 15: SClbs., 361b5., 341bs. After disposing of this competition Mr. Drysdalc proceeded to select the pens to go forward to London for judging along with tho entries from other districts. His task was to select 15 pens from the entry of 78. Tho exhibits from the following breeders were selected: —E. A. Twigg, J. TV. Thurston, J. M. Campbell (two pens), A. Campbell, A. C. Maxwell, .T. TVaugh, TV. H. Burrell, It. Burrell, Short Est., E. M. Hare, Ct. E. Lowe, M. D. Colqukoun and B. S. Lawrence. The weights for the respective pens were not available last .evening as tho information was not completed. The fact thnt this year breeders con-

centrated upon exhibiting lighter lambs to avoid over-weights will improve Feilding’s chance of figuring in the ultimate awards. Tho lambs were required to bo under 401bs. dead weight and previously Feilding had sent forward lambs that wore too heavy. In only two instances individual carcases were excluded on account of being too heavy. During tho luncheon, which was provided at the works for the visitors by Messrs. Borthwicks, Mr. J. Knight, on behalf of the Eeilding A. and P. Association, conveyed the thanks of the association to Messrs. Borthwicks for the cush prizes donated for the carcase judging and also thanks to the company for tho very excellent arrangements made for handling the lambs.