TRIMMING EXPORT MEAT

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23361, 21 June 1941, Page 10

TRIMMING EXPORT MEAT

TIMES SYSTEM EXAMINED

MEAT BOARD MAKES TEST

The claims that the system requires more shipping space, and that there is a heavy loss of weight, are made by officials of the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board following a demonstration in Wellington this month of the export carcase trimming method advocated recently by Mr S. S. Timbs, of Wanganui. The method has attracted a good deal of attention from farmers and others interested. Mr H. D. Acland, a member of the board, who was present at the demonstration, said yesterday that the method required that 5 or 61b be cut off each lamb carcase. “That means that we will lose about 3s a head on every lamb we export,” he said. “At present we are carrying out the instructions of the Imperial Government, which buys our meat, and those instructions are very specific. , The loss of so much money on every carcase is a point that should appeal to farmers.” A statement issued by Mr John Fraser, general manager for the board, gives details of the demonstration, which.-was intended to test the respective'merits of the Timbs system, and the telescoping system at present in use by the board for lambs. The test, which was carried out at the Wellington Meat Export Company’s works on June 5, was made on r 24 prime lambs, 12 trimmed according to the Timbs method, and 12 telescoped. The 12 trimmed carcases aggregated 4051b, from which was trimmed 58ilb of meat that was lost. The 12 telescoped carcases aggregated 407ib. The trimmed carcases took 24,785 cubic inches of space frozen, and the telescoped carcases took 22,185 cubic inches.

“The figures clearly demonstrate,” the statement continued, “that telescoped carcases occupy less space than trimmed carcases, the net saving by telescoping, compared with trimming, being 2583 cubic inches for each, 12 carcases. In addition the suggestion of trimming the carcases would mean a loss in weight shipped representing 14.4 per cent., or, in other words, a loss of, say, 14 carcases in every 100 carcases. “Our annual export of lambs amounts to approximately 11,000,000 carcases. To suggest trimming • off 4.871b a carcase would involve a loss in weight shipped of 53,570,0001b of lamb equal to 23,915 tons. In addition to this loss in weight the trimmed carcases would occupy more space not only in our cool stores, but in the carrying vessel. There are other serious shortcomings associated with the trimming of carcases which do not compare favourably with the telescoping method. “Under present conditions it is of paramount importance tha# all refrigerated shipping space must be conserved, and to suggest trimming carcases of lamb which would occupy more cubic space, is a proposition which does not ,bear the test of examination. . In telescoping, the main principle is to conservespace, and to land the carcases at their destination in the best possible condition. Both these ideals are achieved by the method of telescoping, whereby a greater weight of meat is packed in a given space, and the manner of packing by means of telescoping offers the best form of protection to the meat." «