Chiller Carcases Disappoint

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30712, 30 March 1965, Page 14

Chiller Carcases Disappoint

Entries in this year’s on-the-hooks section of the Canterbury chiller-type beef competition were not up to judges’ expectations and in their opinion the quality was not as high as it has been in previous years.

Of the 44 carcases judged, nine were under-weight and two over-weight, the judges said after the results were announced yesterday.

This section of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association’s competition, run in collaboration with the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board, was judged at Thomas Borthwick and Sons (A’asia). Ltd.’s Belfast freezing works. The judges were Messrs A. E White and E. Bell, supervising graders for the Meat Board and Mr A. G. Stanbury, chief grader for Thomas Borthwick and Sons Ltd.’s Belfast works. A number of the bodies were a little overdone—carding a little too much fat —including the six carcases selected for judging in London, the judges said.

All the winning carcases in the on-the-hooks section were from Aberdeen Angus cattle. R. D. Gould, of Marlow, Amberley, had a very successful day, taking both first and second places, although none of his entries was among the first six placings in the on-the-hoof section. With the first place went the Borthwick Challenge Cup. Third place in the on-the-hooks section went to the Peel Forest Estate, which also took the New Zealand Beef Shorthorn Cattle Breeders’ Association’s prize for the best Shorthorn or Shorthorn cross entry oh the hooks. The animal winning third prize was not placed in the first six of the on-the-hoof section. Fourth and sixth places were taken by the Cashmere Estate (Christchurch), with the sixthplaced body being the animal which won the on-the-hoof section and the fourth-prize winning carcase having taken fifth place in the live competition.

Fifth prize for the on-the-hooks competition was won by Mount Peel Station (Peel Forest).

Mr Gould’s winning carcase weighed 6051b5, the secondplaced carcase 6091b5, Peel Forest Estate’s third-placed carcase 5291b5, Cashmere Estate’s fourth-prize winner 5901 bs, sixth 6001bs and Mount Peel Station’s fifth prizewinner 5881bs.

The judges said little separated the first three carcases and generally the bodies were pleasing. However, in some cases the fat distribution was inclined to be slightly uneven.

Mr White, speaking at the presentation of the prizes, said one reason the competition was not as good as it had been might have been the unfavourable season. . This year, the hooks judging of the competition attracted 43 entries from 13 exhibitors, from as far afield as Fairlie and the Hanmer district.