94' Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W [Feb. 2, 1920. 



The Need for Improved Methods in 

 Handling Sheepskins.* 



J. \y. MATHEWS, Sheep and Wool Expert. 



Perhaps only those intimately connected with the skin trade can be fully 

 sensible of the loss that occurs annually in this State through the indifferent 

 treatment and handling of sheepskins. Sheep that are slaughtered at 

 leading metropolitan abattoirs or other properly-equipped killing establish- 

 ments are, of course, outside the scope of the foregoing comment ; but the 

 criticism must be regarded as generally applicable to the methods in vogue 

 at the privately-owned properties (chiefly in the country) from which Sydney 

 fellmongers obtain an important proportion of their supplies. As showing 

 the extent to which wastage exists, the accompanying statement of figures 

 is arresting. The table forms a comparison of the various lots of skins treated 

 by only one firm of fellmongers in the city — the " dry " skins having been 

 received from various country consignors, and the '' green " skins direct 

 from the metropolitan abattoirs. The totals and percentages given are 

 sufficiently eloquent, but it may be mentioned that an examination of a list 

 of individual consignments showed in ope case a loss of 30 per cent, on one 

 lot of ■' dry " skins, while in one consignment of " green " skins of 4,860 

 only five were lost. The following is a summary of the results :- — 



Dry Skins. Green Skins. 



Sound. Lost. Sound. Lost. 



Maj- -June Consignments 80,423 12,519 44,807 169 



Percentage loss ... ... 15-5 0-38 



January-February Consignments ... 73,476 18,368 42,106 385 



V ^ . V ,^ ; 



Percentage loss '. 24-99 0-91 



Total percentage of all Dry Skins lost ... ... 20-07 



Total percentage of all Green Skins lost 0-64 



Figures to hand from the Government Statistician show that approxi- 

 mately 950,000 sheep, inclusive of lambs, are slaughtered on private pro- 

 perties annually in the country. The total slaughtering for the State during 

 the year ending 30th June, 1918, was 3,202,178. Of this number, 1,155,322 

 were killed in the metropolitan area, the balance being country killed. 



It has been estimated that a pelt (minus, of course, the wool) is worth 

 on the average Is. 8d. ; an unsound one, on a similar basis of estimation, is 

 said not to be worth more than half that value. That the loss on this 

 account annually to the State and to the industry is very considerable it 

 needs no extensive calculation to show. 



Indeed, of such economic significance was it considered to be, that the 

 matter was brought under the notice of the newly-constitutod Bureau or 



* Text of a report furnished to the Experiments Supervision Committee. 



