BEEF AND MUTTON.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 16120, 8 May 1923, Page 8

BEEF AND MUTTON.

MEAT BOARD’S ADVICE TO CON

SUMERS

There are at present, killed for consumption in Now Zealand, in round figures, 2.250,000 sheep. Of these, at least. 1.00.000 could be. exported if more beef were eaten, and they would bring in a return of 25s per head net profit to New Zealand. This would menu, in round figures, £1,250.000 per annum. These figures were recently submitted by an expert, in the meal, export trade in giving his opinion as to the desirability of the people of New Zealand .substituting to a greater extent, the consumption of beef for mutton. The same authority, who is a member of the Meat-

Board, pointed out. that it. was undoubtedly necessary that, cattle should he bred and run on farms, apart, altogether from the dairying industry, for there were very few parts of New Zealand which could he farmed with sheep only, ami which require to have stock run over the land to furnish the necessary change in order to produce the grass. Therefore, he pointed out, it was absolutely compulsory for farmers to continue breeding cattle, but at the same time if there were no outlet for this class of meat, it could he seen how seriously affected was the fanning industry of Hie Dominion. Another point was that it. was extremely had policy to have alt our eggs in the one basket. Though at present lamb and mutton and dairy produce were our best paying products abroad, one never knew when beef might again come into profit, and it would he extremely bad should that happen, if Iho Dominion had virtually

killed its beef-raising industry. In addition to all this no one would deny the nutritious value of beef ns a food and it, was imposing no self-denial upon a community fo suggest that, beef should he substituted in households, even to the extent of one or two pounds a week, for other foods. '