MEAT IN LONDON

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22629, 18 January 1937, Page 5

MEAT IN LONDON

PRICES AT SMITH FIELD LAMB VALUES EASIER ADVANCE IN CHILLED BEEF With heavier arrivals from Australia and a continuation of the quiet demand, prices for lamb at Smithfield are a shade easier, according to the weekly report of the New Zealand Meat Producers' Board. Values for wethers and ewes also are slightly easier.

Owing to lighter supplies of'chilled beef, prices have advanced. 'I he market for frozen beef is steady and unchanged. New Zealand porker pigs are meeting with good trade at improved prices. The market, for baconers is quiet. Following are the latest quotations announced by the board, together with the values ruling at the close of the previous week: —

FROZEN MUTTON Jan. 8 Jan. 15 New* Zealand- - d d Wethers and Maiden Ewes: Canterbury ;ind South Island, selected: Under lSlij. .. .. '>% •'/» i.s-ooii). .. .. r,y 4 r,y s 57-HI1I). .. ..5 -I 7 , I).")-7'_'ll>. . . • . 4'< 4% North Island: 4fi..Vllh. . . • • * r>7 at lb. .. * 05-7'Jlb. . . • • * * EwCfS: Under 4Slb. . . . ■ 4V« 4% •18.501b 4 3% 57*0tlb. . . . . 3% .3 | 05-7"21b. . • • • 3/e 3^4 FROZEN LAMB New Zealand — Canterbury: 301 b. and under * * 37-421b. . . ' .. * 43-oOlb. . . . . * Second, about 311b. * Otiier South Tsland: :iolh. and under .. * 37- I2lb. .. .. * ,13-5011). .. * North Island: 30lb. and under .. 7 1 , 7% 37-1211). .. .. 7/2 7% 13-5011). . . . . " Second, about 30lb. . . 7% 7% North island, first quality: 30lb. and under . . Second, about 311b. .. 7'/< 7\ t Australian Victorian: First, 30lb. and under 7 0% First, 37-12lb. .. U' 2 Argentine— First, 301b. and under os,«0 s ,« O'j First, 37-1211). .. O'i 0/8 FROZEN OX BEEF (145-2101b5.) New Zealand— Hinds .. ..4 4 Fores .. . • 2% 2V t Australian —■ Hinds .. -. 4 4 Crops .. .. 2,4 2/i CHILLED OX BEEF (115-2101b5.) New Zealand — Hinds .. .. -i 3 -'. 5% Fores . . . • 2/i 3/a Australian — Hinds .. . . 4 1 2 ft Crops . . . . 2 a /i 'o/'h South Africa — Hinds . . . . " 5/b Fores . . * 3 Southern Rhodesian— Hinds .. .. 4", 4% Fores .. .. 2; 2 « Argentine— Hinds .. •• 5 3 g 5% I Fores .. . ■ 3/ 8 3/ 4 ! Uruguayan—j Hinds .. •• 5 Fores .. •• Vt> 3 1 a BrazilianHinds .. .. * Fores .. • • " * FROZEN PORK New Zealand— First, 00-801 h. . . 7 7\' a First, Sl-lOOlb. . . 0 7 ', 7 First, nOl-1201b. .. 0% (>V, First, 121-tOOlb. .. 05a O'i •Nouo ottering. The weekly quotations are based on actual sales of wholesale quantities of carcases of mutton or lamb or of | quarters of beef delivered to Smithfield 1 market and/or London stores. I To arrive at the equivalent ex ship values one farthing per pound should j be deducted from the prices quoted j above. Quotations given represent the average for the week, and are not selected lines, but for parcels fairly representative of the bulk of shipments now on offer. POOR DEMAND FOR EWES WEATHER AFFECTING TRADE

The Bank of New Zealand has received the following advice from its London office as at close of business last week: —Wethers: The market is quiet and unchanged. Ewes: Weaker values are ruling owing to lack of demand. Lambs: There is a moderate demand and prices are a shade lower. Unfavourable weather is affecting trade. Quotations: —Wethers, light, od to oi|d per lb.; heavy, 4d to 4Jd; ewes. 3£d to lid; lambs, twos, 7id to 7|d; eights, to 71(1; fours, not quoted; seconds, 7id to 7j!d. AFFLICTION OF SHEEP MORTON MAINS DISEASE EXPERIMENTS IN SOUTHLAND [by TELEGRAPH —OWN correspondent] INVERCARG ILL, Saturday Although the value of cobalt as a counter to what has become known as Morton Mains disease in lambs—a wasting away at a certain period, starting usually after the middle of December —has been proved, the C'awthroit Institute, which lias been directing experiments during the past six years, has not yet established the best means of applying the mineral. The practice has been to apply it by moans of frequent injections, which requires too much labour to be practicable under ordinary conditions, and this season's work has been directed toward a solution of this problem. The cobalt was introduced to theewes by means-of a salt lick put out in the winter, but the results -have shown that this is not likely to be successful treatment. The experiment was. started by dividing a block of 200 ewes into two groups during tho winter, one being given a salt lick containing cobalt and the other pure salt. In tho spring these groups were again halved. Figures which have just been made available'show tho. following result: — Control group, which received no cobalt treatment, 45 per cent of gain in average weight; no cobalt before birth but cobalt after, 70,6 per cent of gain; cobalt before birth and none after, 59.9 per cent of gam; cobalt before and after birth, 82 per cent of gain. The calculations were made from weights taken from November 11, 1936, to January 5, 1937, and these would indicate that the application of cobalt before birth is not of any great value. The experiments are being carried further, and a start was made this season with cobalt top-dressing. A plot was treated about the beginning of November, but so far tho results have not been tested. It has been found from analysis that grasses assimilate the mineral readily, clover taking it to n degree of 35 per cent, although it is turned yellow by too heavy an application. The most striking feature of tho tests since they were started is the consistency of the returns. They have shown remarkably similar effects on sick lambs, and proved beyond all doubt the beneficial effect of cobalt. Although this wasting sickness .is generally known as Morton Mains disease, it is by no means peculiar to that district, being foundi iu different parts of Southland and being similar to the "bush sickness" of the North Island. The reason for tho appellation "Morton Mains" is that it was there that the research and practical trials to find a counter were begun.