GOOD QUALITY LAMBS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17952, 2 December 1932, Page 4

GOOD QUALITY LAMBS

DISTRICT COMPETITION IDEAL WINNING PEN TOO MANY HEAVY LAMBS £ Particularly good quality fat lambs were noted in tne district lat lamb .competition entries at, the Kaiti freezing works yesterday afternoon, but a failing in many cases was that too mauy heavy carcases were seen and several pens were disqualified because they contained lambs that were above the weight limit of 4011). ,A large gathering of farmers attended the judging and demonstration given by Mr. J. Barr, and included in those present were u number of High School boys who aro taking an agricultural' course. Details of the judging are as under: P. Butler, Patutahi, 331 b, 351 b, 331 b ... ■ - ... 1 1 C. G. v IToldsworth, Waikohu, 371 b, 321 b, 381 b 3 C. G. IToldsworth, Waikohu, 331 b, 351 b, 361 b 3 In addition to announcing the first tftree pens, it-was Mr. Barr’s duty' to select the best 15 to represent the district in competition with other districts in the Dominion under the Meat Producers' Board’s competition. The selection of these'pens was dono at the conclusion of the competition, and the following were picked out: W. C. t Pilmyr, Makauri, one pen, 401 b, 39,lji; A. Pilnier, Makauri. one pen, - Adair, Muiiwnf.'oiie peii. .Vuib, 391 b. 36ib - C. G. Hoklsworth, Waikohu, two pens, 33!ib, 351 b, 3611), and 381 b, 321 b, 371 b; J. M. Monckton, Ngatapa. one pen, 361 b, 361 b, 361 b; W. and A. Judd, Matawhero; one pen, 341 b, 361 b, 381 b; W. and A. Judd, Patutahi, one pen, 391 b, 391 b, 401 b; J. Tombleson, Waimata, one pen, 361 b, 361 b, 371 b; A. T. Smith, Patutahi, one pen, 381 b, 35ib, 381 b; P. Butler, Patutahi, one pen, 3911), 331 b, 331 b; J. O. Fitzgerald, Ngatapa, one pen, 401 b, 3911), 381 b; Mossman and Mossman, Waerenga-o-kuri, one 'pen, 361 b, 331 b, 381 b; S. K. Gillingham, Waerenga-o-kuri, one pen, 381 b, 3611), 391 b; Alan Steele, Pohiri, one pen, 371 b, 321 b, 341 b. A total of 26 farmers were represented in the 51’pene. Six of the pens selected for the competition in England were hill country lambs. Eight of the final selection pens, including the first, second and third prize winners, were picked by Mr J. Atkins. JUDGING IN LONDON One interesting point mentioned was the possibility of the lambs being judged in London for further district prizes, as well as in competition .with other districts.

Mr. J. O. Graham, who sponsored the district lamb competition, asked the judge if lie would object to having the individual pens judged again in London in order to compare the two standards of adjudication.

.Mr. Barr replied that he would welcome such a suggestion, for it would be an education for him as well as for the farmers to know the Smithficld opinion. Mr. Graham then said that he would endeavor to have this proposal brought into effect.

Commenting on the exhibit, the judge said the main trorble was with overweights. The winning pen secured the prize because r:f its uniformity, irrespective of weight. There was one fairly heavy lamb in the winning pen, and it 'touched the scale at 391 b, but ho would not have thought, by looking at the caivase, that it would ht> so heavy. The am was of typical Southdown lambs in nil respects, in the legs, the loin and the shoulders Inside, they could not be beaten : they had fullness in everv’ way and were most uniform. The pen placed second had one carcase that was slightly failing in the front leys, and one was a trifle on the light side in regard to fat, though not in regard to weight. At this sbage, tho judge produced a 'arnh from an unplaced wu o-rhiHted by Mr. W. C. Pilmer. This, Mr. Barr said, was an ideal carcase, 331 b in weight, with no waste whatever, and was a lamb that was required at. Home. It had a /ism long leg. FAULTY DOCKING The first pen to be killed, Mr. W. Allen’s, contained two indifferent lambs, out also one excellent one that was probably tho best killed at the works that day, although, it had a tendency to wustiness, said Mr. Barr. Its * nice chubby legs, not overburdened with fat, made it the type of carcase that was sought after at Home. In some cases, added Mr. SBarr, the docking was very bad. In docking, only a short tail should be left. It did not matter whether the tail was cut square or round, so long as it was short. Some of the farmers believed that in a '°ny tail they might get- another pound weight on to their lamb, but Mr. Barr eminded them that faulty docking might easily make the difference between first and second grade. He suggested that this was a matter for the •\. and P. / ssociation to take up, and hat if two lamhs at the Show were almost equal in all other respects, the award should go to the one on which the docking had been carried out in the better manner. •

Another .mint remarked on by the nidge was the manner of handling before hilling, Farmers and others responsible 'or handling before slaughter rhould not. lift the animals by the wool, ‘mr this was often the cause of bruising, 'knno of the lambs in the competition were faulty Inwaiis?,of that, and he repacked that this defect was showing up hadlv in Hawke’s Ray at present, many if the lam’-R being spoilt bv it, especiillv bv marking ror rid the loins. Tie added that the Poverty Bay com-Y't't-ioTi ki’ >)'s were more uniform than those of Hawke’s Bav, and Gisborne should run Dawke’s Bay verv 'closelv in the competition.