DISTRICT LAMB COMPETITION

Southland Times, Issue 23389, 22 December 1937, Page 6

DISTRICT LAMB COMPETITION

EASTERN SOUTHLAND ENTRIES KILLED FARMERS CONGRATULATED ON DISPLAY The Eastern Southland entries for 1937-38 to comprise the district exhibit in the South Island district fat lamb competition were killed at the Southland Frozen Meat Company’s Mataura works yesterday. There was a big attendance of farmers to see the lambs judged alive and on the hooks. The entries numbered 114, compared with 106 last year. After being runner-up to Southland for three successive years, Eastern Southland won the competition last year. Southland had won the competition for five years, ever since it was inaugurated. The conditions provide that each exhibitor may enter two pens, each of three lambs. The lambs are judged alive for prizes presented by the Gore Agricultural and Pastoral Association, which conducts the competition for the district, and then on the hooks. In selecting the best 15 pens for the district exhibit the judge may sort out the best three lambs of an exhibitor’s entries, also deciding the winners of the Southland Frozen Meat Company’s prizes for the best lambs on the hooks. The final exhibit of 45 lambs will represent Eastern Southland at Smithfield, where the district awards will be made. The judge of the lambs on the hook was Mr J. M. Watson, of Invercargill, and his platings were as follows:—

R. Muir (Brydone) P. Smith (Heriot)

R. J. Simmers (Waikoikoi) 3 Mr Watson said that considering the dryness of the season the entry was well up to expectations. A number of the pens had to be passed over because the lambs were too heavy, but most of the entries were up to standard for such a competition, being compact, wellconditioned lambs, most suitable for the London trade. It had been very difficult to choose the winning pens. The winning pen was a fine one. The lambs had nice compact carcasses, were fairly low set and good across the shoulders. The placed pens were all good. Mr Watson said he considered the breeders should try to have the live weight of their exhibits about 621 b. If they were about that weight there was not so much danger of them being over 361 b on the hooks. He thought the weight on the hooks should be about 321 b. LAMBS JUDGED ON HOOKS The judges of the lambs on the hooks were Mr W. Falconer, manager of the company’s Makarewa works, and Mr R. S. McGregor, Meat Board grader, of Dunedin. They made the following awards, the individual weight also being given:— J. Drysdale, Brydone (341 b 311 b, 341 b) 1 A. D. Dickie, Croydon Siding (341 b 331 b, 351 b) 2 J. Bruce, Waipounamu R.D. (331 b 311 b, 331 b) 3 The owners of the other 12 pens to represent Eastern Southland at Smithfield are as follows:— W. C. Butler (Waipounamu R.D.); E. A. Cameron (Wendonside R.D.); H. Cockburn (Mataura); C. C. Derrett and Son (Wendonside R.D.); W. H. Elliott (Kaiwera); J. L. Gilkison (Waipounamu R.D.); Robert Miller (Mandeville); R. Muir (Brydone); J. McQueen (Waikaka R.D.); J. Pullar and Sons (Heriot); J. E. Watson (Waipounamu R.D.); Wyndham Rating Club (Wyndham). The judges congratulated the farmers of Eastern Southland on the excellent display of lambs. The exhibits were well up to last year’s standard and would take a lot of beating, they said. It would take an extremely good exhibit to beat them. They had had to eliminate several pens because of over-fatness. The exhibition was one of educational value, the farmers being able to find out what sort of lambs to send Home. All the lambs were nicely dressed and nicely got up. Mr A. Derbie, general manager of the company, who announced the awards, said it was pleasing to see such a big crowd present and the continued interest shown in the competition. The display was a splendid one, and the company was proud to be able to assist with such a valuable competition. The judges had had a strenuous time, but he was sure that they had done their job well. Mr J. Drysdale, a vice-president of the Gore Agricultural and Pastoral Association, apologized for the absence of the president of the association (Mr J. A. Edwards) who was unable to be present. He thanked the Southland Frozen Meat Company for the arrangements made that afternoon and for the transport arrangements. There had been no trouble in getting the lambs away from the farms. The judges had had an arduous task, and as he had won first prize, he considered they had done it very well indeed.' (Laughter.)

DIFFICULTIES OF BREEDERS Mr Henry Smith, of Waikaka Valley, the Eastern Southland representative on the electoral committee of the New Zealand Meat Board, said the board realized that this year the South Island breeders had had a difficult: time, because of the dry weather. There had been a shortage of feed and this no doubt had had a marked effect on the sheep of the province. In spite of this, however, it was gratifying to see such a good entry in such good condition. The board realized the value of the competition and gave it its support. Mr John Gilkison, chairman of directors of the company, said that he hoped competitors realized that although they might not be in the prize money, they helped to make the competition a success. He thought it would be a good idea to get Mr Falconer to make a report after each competition, giving hints that would help and assist breed-

ers in all districts. He also thought the farmers could assist the selectors by running off the lambs they themselves thought good enough for competition. It would then be a simple task for the selectors to pick out the six best.