FAT LAMBS

Southland Times, Issue 21288, 8 January 1931, Page 8

FAT LAMBS

A LATE SEASON OPENING OF FREEZING WORKS DELAYED PRICES NOT ENCOURAGING The unusually late season experienced in Southland and Otago is directly responsible for the freezing works operating in tHe two provinces delaying the commencement of the killing season for a fortnight. The works usually open in the first week of the New Year, but on this occasion the five works affected, the Mataura and Makarewa plants of the Southland Frozen Meat Company, and the Ocean Beach, Balclutha and Burnside works, will not commence killing until Tuesday, January 20. While the great majority of the lambs are not yet ready for killing, a number of farmers in Southland are almost ready to commence drafting. It is considered, however, that the numbers offering during the next two weeks would not be sufficient to warrant the works opening before the date selected. After a most, unusually unfavourable season, the lambs have shown rapid progress during the past few .weeks, and should come forward in large numbers when the season is properly launched. No schedule of prices has yet been prepared by the companies operating in the provinces, but the prospects at the present time are jfiot encouraging. When the North Island works opened with the schedule on the basis of 7£d per pound for first quality lambs up to 361 b weight, farmers were inclined to be optimistic, but prices have fallen steadily. The present Canterbury schedule is on the basis of s(d per pound for first quality lambs of the weight mentioned, and it is reported that the schedule of prices in the North Island is now even lower than this figure. It is considered likely that the schedule at the opening of the Southland and Otago season will be on the same basis as the Canterbury prices. A welcome announcement to many farmers in Southland who suffered through the congestion last season, when it was found impossible to cope with the rush of lambs, is that accommodation for slaughtermen at the Makarewa works has been considerably increased in readiness for the new season. The board has been remodelled and brought thoroughly up to date with accommodation for 40 slaughtermen, which number is ten more than there were hooks for last year. With the great increase that has taken place in Southland during the last few years, the works have found it impossible to cope with the numbers of lambs coming forward during the busiest period, but the added accommodation at Makarewa combined with improvements in the system of handling will enable a much larger quantity to be handled than has been possible in previous seasons. All the companies anticipate that full boards of slaughtermen will be required almost from the opening date, and that the season will be a busy one with the numbers closely approximating those handled last year.