FAT LAMB SEASON

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 73, Issue 424, 15 November 1930, Page 22 (Supplement)

FAT LAMB SEASON

OPENING IN NORTH ISLAND. AN EARLY COMMENCEMENT. Although the fat lamb season is not long over on much of the back country of the Dominion, many graziers are already beginning to make arrangements for the shipping of their first fat lambs, states an article in the Auckland Herald which indicates that the far north enjoys a much earlier season than New Zealand. For a number of years Auckland shippers have sent a number of small parcels of lamb early in November in time to catch the Christmas market at Home; this season a number of Gisborne graziers is arranging to get a small trial shipment away and there is every likelihood of a small consignment of early lambs going forward from Hawkes Bav.

Spring lambs have been coming forward to the Westfield fat stock sale for a number of weeks in steadily increasing numbers. The lamb flock on Auckland farms this season is well forward; one line from the Karaka district which was killed at one of the Westfield works last week averaged 341 b., while another from the same district averaged 311 b. Both these lines, according to the buyer, would have killed out at in the vicinity of 501 b. had they been kept until December, the time when the lamb-freezing season is at its height.

In the Waikato, although the lambing percentages were mostly very satisfat? tory, the flock is not so far forward, the cold weather of the past week or so giving it a setback from which it will take several weeks to recover. When the season proper opens about the end of November, however, it is confidently expected that the returns of fat lambs trom the Waikato will touch new high level?. Heavy Losses in Hawke's Bay. Further south fat-lamb producers are not quite so happily situated. In Hawke’s Bay a particularly cold spring has combined with a shortage of feed to bring about a high percentage of deaths, the ewes suffering with the lambs, and the lamb flock generally is not at all well forward. A, somewhat similar state of affairs is reported in the Wairarapa and Wanganui districts. The buyer for one of the largest exporting firms operating in the Dominion, who recently made a tour through the Poverty Bay, Hawke’s Bay and Wellington districts, reports * that most farmers are inclined to view prospects for the season rather gloomily, and all are hoping for the early arrival of a spell of warm weather. During the past fortnight lambs coming forward for the Auckland retail market have been bringing the equivalent of front 9d to lOd a lb. on the hooks at the Westfield Abattoirs. This price is regulated largely by supply and demand, however, and has little "or no bearing on the export market. Buyers are very diffident about making any forecast as to what the opening export prices will be. preferring to adopt a “wait-and-see” attitude. Premium Prices for Early Lamb. As New Zealand lamb is very popular in London, however, and is regarded more or less in the light of a novelty at Christmas time, it is regarded as quite likely that the prices paid for the small consignments which go forward early next month for the Christmas market, will be well above the average level which can be expected for the whole season. Last season, for instance, the first New Zealand lamb to arrive in London realised up to 124 d a lb., but within three weeks the price for the same quality lamb was down to 9d. Some of the first shipment this season will go forward on consignment on owners’ account, at least two Karaka farmers having arranged for drafts up to 500 lambs to be shipped on those terms. One factor operating to the disadvantage of the seller of fat lambs, stressed by a leading exporter, was the particularly low prices ruling for wool and pelts. At one time the price realised for the skins covered all charges from the farm to the Smithfield market. Today this is changed and the skins hardly pay for the handling, particularly on early lambs sllping under 21b. of wool. This decline in the price of wool and pelts means a difference of approximately 2d a lb. in the price which exporters will be able to offer for Jamb.