NORTH ISLAND LAMBS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume L, Issue 16370, 1 March 1924, Page 5

NORTH ISLAND LAMBS.

QUESTION OF QUALITY. A number of reports have come lo hand from New Zealanders who have visited England this year, and who were more or less interested in the frozen meat industry, and nearly all agree that a considerable percentage of New Zealand lamb is a good way short of prime quality (states the Auckland Herald). The falling-off in quality of Canterbury lambs is specially noted, and it is pointed out that the North Island Down crosses are equal to the best South Island lambs. The fact is that during the war, with the boom prices for wool and the demand for mutton o 7 any weight, there was less use made of the Down breeds in’ the South Island and greater use made of rams more noted for producing wool than a lamb that would dress out. a first grade carcase. This method of breeding is still going on. and in the catalogue of the, Canterbury A. an P, Association’s show will be found in. class for pen of Corriedale or halfbred tarns most suitable for producing fat lambs when mated with iongwool ewes. The question might reasonably be asked, what proportion of lambs from such breeding could fairly be classed as prime quality, when graded alongside. Down, Leicester, Ryeland, or Romney crosses? A heavy importation of Southdown rams and,ewes from England is being made by North Island breeders, and there is no doubt that tluA North Island lamb will still further improve) its position in the future, for tiie Southdown ram has proved to he

particularly suitable for mating with the Romney and Romney-Lincoln ovVcs, the general flock sheep of the.. .North Island.