CATTLE BUYING ON MEAT YIELD

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31631, 18 March 1968, Page 12

CATTLE BUYING ON MEAT YIELD

From today all freezing works in the South Island will buy cattle on meat yield. The system has been used successfully in Southland for several years.

The prime objective is to raise the quality of beef for export. It means that the producer of good quality, high-yielding cattle will receive a good price. It also reflects the attitude that no-one wants to pay for fat. A meat industry spokesman said that although the schedule which will be used from today includes another 50c per 1001 b drop on last week’s schedule for all prime cattle, as a result of the change, the decline in the price for better yielding beef would only be 25c, so that in effect it would receive a premium. The spokesman said that the system would resemble that used in recent years in export beef competitions in which carcases had been cut and assessed for yield as well as other characteristics. Asked how the system would work, the spokesman said that a cattle beast would first be assessed at the scales and this assessment would be confirmed the next day when the beast had been chilled. Yield Levels The assessment of yield is made on chilled weight less trimmings and bone. For g.a.q. ox and heifer there are three levels of yield over 62 per cent; 57 per cent to 62 per cent; and 52 per cent to 56.9 per cent and these apply to cattle from 3611 b to 7201 b and over 7201 b in the case of ox, and up to 5601 b and ove? 5601 b for heifer. Between the yield categories there is a variation of $1.25 per 1001 b. In the case of g.a.q. cow there are two yield categories for each of cows up to 6001 b and over 6001 b and here the variation is from $1.50 to $1.75. There are two yield categories for boner cow, ox and heifer and boner bull, with a price variation of $l.

The industry spokesman said that the new schedule did not contain any decline in the price of boner cattle compared with last week. The new prices are:

G.A.Q. 0x.—3611b to 7201 b: 1 (over 62 per cent yield based on chilled weight), $17.25; 2 (57 to 62 per cent), $l6; 3 (52 to 56.9 per cent), $14.75. Over 720 lb: 1, $16.25; 2, $l5; 3, $13.75.

F.A.Q. 0x.—3611b to 7201 b (graded as at present), $l7; over 7201 b, $l6.

G.A.Q. Heifer.—Up to 5601 b: 1 (over 62 per cent), $17.25; 2 (57 to 62 per cent). $l6; 3 (52 to 56.9 per cent), $14.75. Over 5601 b: 1, $16.25; 2, $l5; 3, $13.75. F.A.Q. Heifer.—Up to 5601 b (graded as at present), $l7; over 5601 b, $l6.

G.A.Q. Cow.—Up to 6001 b: 1 (over 57 per cent), $l5; 2 (52 to 56.9 per cent), $13.50. Over 6001 b: 1, $13.50; 2, $11.75.

F.A.Q. Cow.—Up to 6001 b (graded as at present), $l6; over 6001 b, $14.50. Boner Cow, Ox and Heifer.— 1 (over 59 per cent), $l6; 2 (52 to 59 per cent). $l5. Overfat Cow, Ox and Heifer. — Under 52 per cent, $ll.

Boner Bull. —Over 59 per cent, $19.50; 52 to 59 per cent, 815.50.