The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1922-09-29

Lambs Being Assembled in Big Dipr
=, ,Ga = -~ 81, Gus
PREPARED by the Tinted States Department
r 81. Of Agricultural ,sFs.-
Plans for the more orderly market
ing Of native lambs at Jersey City and
New York city, and the elimination OF
violent fluctuations in prices OF live
and dressed lambs ut these markets,
are to be worked out by a committee
live stock commission
men, slaughterers, retailers, railroads,
stock yard companies at Jersey City
and New York, eastern lamb producers
and the United STATES Department of
Agriculture. ~, 90
This committee was appointed as
result. of the conference called recently
by the United States Department of
Agriculture, ut Jersey City. At this
conference members of the trade rep,
resenting the various interests en-
gagged. in the handling, marketing.
slaughtering and retailing of lambs at
Jersey City and New York met repre-
sentatiyes OF sheep and lamb pro-
ducers and the department. Practical
ly all the factors responsible for the
wide fiucruatiOn in lamb prices ut Jer-
sey City during certain periods were
brought out by full discussion.
The conference developed the fact
that the lamb problem at Jersey City
is a production and marketing prob
lem combined, and that its solution
lies largely in the hands of the pro-
ducers and slaughterers of native
lalubs, although live stock commission
men and retail meat dealers can assist
in ;remedying the situation: r. ~
s5f{s Occupies Key Position, ~.
Jersey City occupies key position
in the channel Of distribution between
the lamb producers and the largest
center of consumption, inasmuch as it
is the final public concentration point
for live lambs destined, for New York
city, the greatest consuming center for
dressed lamb in the United States and
market that requires high-grade
product. j. = .'a-S. =,
1t was shownsthdt ordinarily Jersey
City has u reputation Of being the
highest lamb market in the country,
but that during June, July and August
it suffers violent price fluctuations be
cause of the big increase in receipts
of native lambs from Virginia, West
Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Pennsyi:a-
mia, Michigan and New York, without
any material decrease in the supply OF
live and dressed lambs received there
and ar New York city from Western
points. The situation is complicated
by the marked irregularity in the vol
ume of the daily receipts during those
months and by the inferior quality of
the offerings, most of whicf arH:1e I'M
sorted and ungradetl -. 20
1t was brought out that the poor
quality of these lambs is due largely
TO the failure of producers to use bet
ter breeding stock and proper feeding
methods aud to. dock and castrate
their lambs ut the proper time. The
fact that native lambs in SO many in-
stances become infected in the suns
llier months with diseases Of parasitic
origin, particularly stomach worms,
makes it very important that they be
marketed before the milk fat disap-
pears. ..S.. y. .%,t5s -, Z
These lambs usually are dropped at
period which requires that they be
marketed during the months of june.
July and August hence they are .
perishable producA from a marketing
standpoint. When they reach Jersey
City in larger numbers than the de-
mand can absorb, and come in COM
petition with the highAgrade live and
dressed Western lambs, prices break
sharply and affect the lamb market
generally at all points. Declines in
the dressed market often are more
drastic than those in the live market.
! Better Breeding Stock Urged.
1t was agreed at the conference
that producers of. native lambs should
use better breeding stock !; supply anl-
pie, feed both to the ewes and lambs
for maximum gains In order to mar
ket the lambs before they become M
tested with parasites, and practice
docking and castratfon. Z! a
II was agreed, also. that producers
9 in tile different fareas should reach IN
understanding which Will lend to the
lengthening of the breeding and mar
keting period, and that they should
cooperate in their marketing in such
away as will insure grading and sort
ing in the country and mdre orderly
movement of lambs 10 market. In this
connection it was suggested that the
practice which appears to be general
+ ~ followed in certain states of con-
tracing lambs to country buyers for