Heavier lambs and uniformity in marketing called for
By JOAN LIESAU
STATE COLLEGE The
pooling together of
producers to sell uniform
lots of lamb and going
towards the trend of heavier
lambs was stresed by Walter
Streightiff at the April 23,
Pennsylvania Sheep and
Wool Growers Association
annual banquet here.
Streightiff, who is the
North East Director for
lamb marketing with the
American Sheep Producers
Council, said that m 1977, for
19 weeks the 55 to 60 pound
dressed lamb dominated the
market. In 1978 this trend
increased for 27 weeks. “I
have no doubts that the 60
pound dressed lamb will-be
the top priced and demanded
lamb on the- New York
market” he said.
Here in the East,
Streightiff explained we
have the capability of short
shipping runs with our
lambs. We can save one half
days life on a carcass giving
the meat' one to two more
days of bloom. Also we save
extra dollars from two way
freight charges (which
comes oat of the producers
pocket).
“There is no way you are
going to turn out over night a
truck load (about 700) of
uniform lambs.” The lambs
dressed in abattoirs in the
west can be picked for
consistant size, quality and
uniformity” because of the
large number of lambs these
slaughterhouses have.
Freight, warehousing, and
distribution costs are some
of the greatest expenses a
retailer has. Streightiff cited
that in long distance freight,
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, April 28,1979—15
Walter Streightoff
“every carcass has a $5 to
$7.50 freight charge. You
have access to abattoirs that
is not enjoyed in any other
part of the United States” he
empabsized. You don’t have
the large freight expense”.
Right now, we have to sell
lambs to Detroit or Chicago
packers. The lambs, are then
shipped back to the East
Coast, skyrocketting freight
costs.
Streighiff suggested that
several producers combine
or pool lambs togehter for
uniformity, equal size and
quality to make up a load of
at least 50. “Packers will
take 50 to 200 lambs” this
way, but, they must be
uniform when marketed. He
said that there was a ship
pment of 60 pound lambs
from Pennsylvania but they
were discounted. “The
slaughter customers were
not used to handling the
heavier lambs mixed in with
lighter lambs.” “The
slaughterer doesn’t want
such a mix because he
doesn’t have the customers.
The retailers first rule is
don’t confuse the customer,
A 60 pound dressed lamb will!
sell on sight through
Imagine mixing, in the same
store, 38 to 60 pound dressed
carcasses, The customer
would wdnder what it’s all
about,'"especially when all
the prices are the same.
Even the American and
imported"" price difference
has consumers on guard.
Sfreightiff said “I think
xnarketiggjias to be one of
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your main objectives, so you
can get together and market
lambs in a single size.”lf you
have your lambs mixed “it
will discount every lamb in
that pool.”
Because we see the lamb
prices in the paper so high
“we think that’s where our
lambs belong.” Streightiff
suggested we follow our
lambs through the dressing
rail at the abattoir and see if
we get tlie same picture as
what we thought our lambs
looked like. “Learn by
comparison” he em
phasized.
“We have to start at the
grass roots. We need all the
lambs we can get. Let’s
produce what we can, to the
best market finish we can.
Pool together and keep
uniformity in the market and
you’ll have more dollars in
your pocket. You have to
start out on a good base and
follow the lambs through.”
Streightiff stressed “you
have to get together on the
market, as well as a state, to
increase production. Don’t
worry about the slaughter
capability because we do
have slaughter capability.”
Discussing feeder lambs,
Streightiff said that in late
August, western producers
are force to market feeder
and fat lambs together
because grass is a limiting
factor. Forty per cent need
furthur feed finishing. “With
forage here at that time of
year, there is no reason that
the dollars couldn’t be kept
in the hands of the
producers.” Streightoff felt
these western iambs would
finish off beautifully with
good forage and perhaps a
small grain supplement.
; It was suggested by Fred
Lloyd, National Blueprint
fpr Expansion Coordinator
frith the Sheep Industry
Development program, that
if the producer is interested
in shipping in western
lambs, to check into the
shipping cost. Lloyd felt that
the feeder could do a better
job of buying lambs locally.
“Lambs are available in
Pennsylvania but are being
shipped out.”
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