FARMERS PARTNERS IN MEAT INDUSTRY

Press, Volume C, Issue 29536, 10 June 1961, Page 7

FARMERS PARTNERS IN MEAT INDUSTRY

The meat industry is seen] as an alliance of producer, processor and seller by the Director of the Meat Industry Research Institute, Mr N. H. Law, with one object only in view—to please the customer. Each of the groups in the industry has overlapping interests so that the action of one can have repercussions on all the others. At the Lincoln College farmers’ conference Mr Law said that the criteria for success in meat production and processing Were defined by the retail purchaser—they were the price the consumer was prepared to pay. the amount purchased, the appearance and eating quality of the meat, which in short was what the public liked best and would fetch the best price. Co-operation When forwarding his beef or lamb for slaughter the farmer had to take into account that they were in prime . condition and in a state which would enable the processor to produce a product in first class condition. For a farmer to send his lambs to the works full and dirty indicated his lack of co-operation. The handling of stock before slaughter could adversely affect the quality of the meat. The lifting of the ban on the movement of stock by road transport by the present Government had been a good move. Where rail transport could compete in terms of time with road transport there was no justification for using road transport, but there had been many instances in recent years, of stock being held for many hours at rail

heads before loading followed by lengthy rail journeys under the most trying conditions of summer heat. Such a state of affairs, he hoped, was now past history. The farmer expected stock killed immediately on arrival at works. If lambs were empty and clean this called for no comment, but if they were full there was no question that the works faced extra problems. The stock should be held otherwise they required special treatment if quality was to be maintained. This was costly to the industry and ultimately to the producer. As far as beef was concerned the producer now bred for the chiller trade, the frozen trade and the lucrative boneless beef trade. He had three strings to bow and in the national interest all should be exploited to the full. Beef cattle were more sensitive than lambs and should be treated very much more carefully Careful transportation to avoid bruising and calm handling to avoid the effects of fear were essential. Whereas conformation and thickness and colour of fat had been and still were of first importance for the chiller and frozen grades, the sole criterion for boneless beef would seem to be a good cutting out percentage and fat level. “From this point of view the Ruakura experiment in crossing Jerseys with Aberdeen Angus is of particular interest.” said Mr Law. “We are assured that although carcase conformation and fat colour do not conform to the normal accepted standards the eating quality of the beef is excellent,” he 1 said.