HANDLING OF FROZEN BEEF

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18234, 30 October 1922, Page 9

HANDLING OF FROZEN BEEF

CHANGE OF METHOD WEEDED.

VIEWS OF PRODUCERS' BOARD. The need for reforms in the handling of frozen beef is emphasised by the New Zealand Meat Producers' Board in a statement issued last week. There is no getting away from the fact, savs the board, that if this Dominion is to" hold its position as an exporter of beet it must pay more attention not only to the handling of the frozen quarters, but also to the care of the animal before it is slaughtered. Greater care must be exercised when railing cattle, for apart from the bruising which may occur in the trucks a lot of damage is done during loading into the trucks and unloading. Onlv competent men shguld be employed to handle cattle, as in these days of motorcars traction engines, etc., droving cattle is a much more difficult job than in former years Lets of mixed sexes are also often driven to the freezing works together; this is. a practice which should bo discontinued. , , , , The attention of the board has been drawn from London to the necessity for double-bagging each quarter of beef, the outer cover to be hessiatn and the inner white cloth or stockingett*. It is stated that whereas the Argentine frozen beet comes on the market beautifully clean and fresh-looking, oura is often exceedingly dirty. Some of the hesuian used is like' ordinary scrim, and the amount of dirt and fibre which becomes attached to the meat is most detrimental to the sale. A quarter of beef in handling from the wharf to the market is more apt to come in contact with the ground than carcases of mutton and lamb, also in loading and unloading th« quarters are often walked over bv the labourers and naturally a good deal of" dirt gets through the outer cover. A number of freezing works in New Zealand have been usinec the double covers for fome time, and the- board strongly advi=p s all freezing works to adopt this practice, as apart from better returns, which are asmired. it would be a large factor in improving the position of our frozen beef trade generally. comparer) with our com petitors from South America it is apparent there is room for much improvement also regarding the dressing of beef. Somo work?, no not hold the sides of beef loner enough in the: cooling room to allow it to ppt. (vrjd consenvently there is a recedence of fat at the rib where cut. If beef could be held longer in the cooling ro->.-n it would overcome this defect and would also improve the colour and appearance generally. In its Pndeavonr to help the beef innVtrv, rrneVdes the statement, the bopvH some ago appealed to the public in New Zealand to eat more b>?ef, *nd the response 'ins been very evident.