HANDLING OF SHEEP

Taranaki Daily News, 5 January 1935, Page 20 (Supplement)

HANDLING OF SHEEP

NEED FOR GREAT CARE. LOSSES FROM BRUISED CARCASES. The problem of bruised stock, the amount of loss caused thereby and the necessity for taking steps to eliminate the causes were stressed by Mr. C. V. Dayus, M.R.C.V.S., superintendent for Otago and Southland of the Livestock Division of the Agricultural Department, in the course of an address at the Ocean Beach Freezing Works, Southland, subsequent to the judging on the hooks of 15 pens of fat lambs selected from 129 entries to represent Southland at the New Zealand Meat Board’s inter-pro-vincial competition at London. Southland has held the shield for the South Island since the inception of the competition. > Mr. Dayus said that the display demonstrated Southland’s ability to produce lambs off the mothers equal to any in the world. Referring to the problem of braised stock, Mr. Dayus said that producers only had to inspect their stock sheets to see the result of the work of the departmental officers. It was the duty of those officers to examine the carcases. and bruising was responsible for considerable loss by causing carcases to be wholly or partially condemned or rejected for export and by causing prime carcases to be graded second. Even if the carcases escaped that they would affect the reputation of the lamb on the British market.

FIGURES QUOTED. Mr. Dayus said that the amount of bruising, which was due to a variety of causes, could be reduced. He pointed out that in the provinces of Otago, Southland and Canterbury 613,308 sheep and 4,477,034 lambs Were killed in the 1932-33 season. Out of the sheep 238 were wholly condemned on account of bruising, 213 were partially condemned, 5,437 were rejected for export and 953 were graded second. Of the lambs, 791 were wholly condemned, 492 were partly condemned, 13,829 were rejected for export and 27,432 were graded seconds. Taking the number of lambs and reckoning the difference in the price of a prime and second lamb as 3s, there was a loss to somebody of £4,114 10s. In 1931 he had started an inquiry into the question and various methods of publicity had been utilised, including a moving picture film. As a result of that the figures had fallen. In the following season 448,284 sheep and 4,026,195 lambs had been killed.. Of the sheep 223 were wholly condemned, 92 were partially condemned, 5,272 were rejected for export and 605 were graded second. Among the lamiba 457 were wholly condemned, 313 were partially condemned, 11,314 were rejected for export and 15,745 were graded second. That showed a very big drop. Mr. Dayus said that braising could be caused in the drafting yard, by bumping against the- gates in the drafting yard, in loading on to the trucks and at the works. A braise could be caused by pulling the wool of a lamb and he had noted that braising occurred to the highest degree in railed lots, then came lorried lots and then roaded lots. It occurred to a greatest degree in lines that were handled most. This undoubtedly exemplifies the necessity for using the utmost care in the handling of stock, particularly for export, as the importance of freedomfrom braising applies with equal force to the chilled meat trade.