Sept. 1895.] FROZEN MUTTON TRADE OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 129 



THE FROZEN MUTTON TRADE OF NEW SOUTH 



WALES. 



The fall in the price of frozen mutton during the past few 

 years has entailed heavy losses upon the flockmasters in New 

 South Wales who are engaged in the export trade in mutton. 

 In colonial official circles the fall is ascribed partly to the fact 

 that the merino, which has hitherto been the most popular 

 breed of sheep in Australia, is not regarded with favour in the 

 British market, and partly to the defects of the present system 

 of distribution and sale. 



Until a comparatively recent period, it was considered that 

 cross-breeds would thrive only in a few districts where the tem- 

 perature was moderate and the rainfall good, but it appears that 

 several owners have succeeded in breeding and fattening crosses 

 on the natural grasses in parts of New South Wales where 

 the conditions as to climate and moisture were regarded as 

 unfavourable to cross-breeding. Furthermore, experiments 

 carried out at the Government station at Wagga Wagga have 

 proved that turnips can be grown over a much wider area than 

 was originally supposed, and it has been ascertained that in at 

 least one fourth of the colony farmers and graziers can, if they 

 choose, adopt a rotation of crops which will enable them to 

 breed, and fatten at very early ages, cross-breeds and lambs 

 suitable for freezing and export. The facts demonstrated by the 

 Wagga Wagga experiments are recognised as being of the very 

 highest importance to the agriculturists in the eastern and more 

 temperate districts of the colony, especially to those farmers who 

 combine sheep-farming with tillage, and it is urged that to 

 restore the frozen mutton trade to a remunerative level it is 

 essential that cross-breeding should be at once adopted in such 

 localities as are suitable for the purpose. 



As regards the sheep which make the most saleable mutton, it 

 is the experience of Australian breeders that first-cross merinos 

 are undoubtedly the best for freezing, and fetch the best price in 

 the British market. The popularity in the London trade of the 

 first-cross merinos places the New South Welsh flockmasters in 

 an advantageous position for testing the system of cross-breeding, 

 inasmuch as they will be able to avoid any risk of upsetting 

 entirely their present methods until they see how the cross-breeds 

 will answer. Under these circumstances, Mr. Bruce, the 

 Government Inspector of Stock, urges them to breed as speedily 

 as possible at least as many cross-breeds as are required for the 

 export trade.* To meet this demand, it lis estimated that the 

 annual production of 1,500,000 head of merino crosses would be 

 sufficient for the next few years, until more provision is made 

 for freezing. 



* The Meat Trade of Australia, by Alexander Bruce. Sydney : Charles Fotter, 

 Government Printer, Phillip Street, 



