HEAVIER BEASTS

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31659, 20 April 1968, Page 9

HEAVIER BEASTS

Preference In U.K. While some emphasis was being placed on lightweight cattle in New Zealand, United Kingdom buyers showed a preference for heavier beasts, a recent field day gathering of 150 farmers was told. Mr P. D. Shea, senior buyer for the Canterbury Frozen Meat Company at Christchurch, said that following the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the United Kingdom, considerable quantities of g.a.q. quarter beef from New Zealand had been sold there. “It may be of interest to you, that during this minor bonanza, light-weight cattle sold at a discount,” he said. He knew of one consignment of heifer beef averaging a little more than 4001 b, which sold for 2d per lb less than steer beef averaging 6001 b. Today there was virtually no premium on baby beef. Mr Shea said most of the g.a.q. steer beef in quarters which had been sold to the United Kingdom in recent months had been used mainly for contract purposes, and supplied to schools and factory canteens, institutions, camps and hospitals. For this purpose buyers preferred a heavier carcase of 5601 b to 6601 b, and they also preferred it in quarters, rather than in primal cuts, so that they could process it according to their own requirements.