CHILLED BEEF TRADE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18066, 18 April 1933, Page 2

CHILLED BEEF TRADE

ARGENTINE SHIPPERS ELABORATE CARE TAKEN Some observations by Dr. T. Moran on the preparation of transport or' chilled beef from the Argentine to Great Britain, which he gathered as ,a result of a visit to the former country, arc contained in the latest report of the proceedings of the British Association of Refrigeration. Cooling i says Dr. Moran, is an important stage in the production of chilled beef, lie had heard it said if meat arrived in London showing mould to any great extent the tendency nowadays was first to look for some fault in the cooling of the meat before attaching blame to the ship. In view of the recent experimental shipments of chilled beef from New Zealand Dr. Moran’s remarks arc of particular interest.

Dr. Moran said cattle were raised in the Argentine chiefly in the temperate zone extending fanwiso about 400 miles from the city of Buenos Aires, Entre Rios, Santa Fe, and La Pampa. The Shorthorn was the favorite breed. Native cattle were raised principally in the northern provinces of the Argentine, notably Corrientcs; they were not exported and the majority were used for canning or extract. The average age of the cattle killed for chilled beef was 2| to 3 years, with a carcase weight of (150 to 7001 b. The majority of the cattle were railed down from the camp or estancias to the meat works. RAILWAY WAGON DESIGN The railway wagons were all designed for end-loading, and were of two types —the double-hinged door opening outward used by the majority of the railways and the guillotine type. Practically every station and yard had a ramp for end loading, but in the few cases where the ramp was for sideloading the difficulty was got over by means of dummy wagons. Most of the cattle were dehorned. Before cattle could be dispatched to the frigorifieos a field veterinary inspector visited the estancia and issued a certificate that the animals were free from disease, particularly foot-and-mouth. In the course of the dressing all the glands of the viscera, head and carcase (except the popliteal) were examined. If disease were discovered in any of the glands the carcase was then taken to the inspection room for a detailed examination.

In discussing the slaughtering and dressing operations, Dr. Moran states he was particularly interested in the washing of the carcases and the steps taken to prevent drainage of blood from the arteries and veins around the kidneys and neck. He adds: “Blood is an excellent soil for the growth of micro-organisms, and I noticed in most of the frigorifieos that the iliac arteries are plugged with dry sterile cloths, the jugular vein is sewn with string, and in the fold of the neck a cloth is skewered into position to prevent drainage of blood on to the carcase. The cloths are removed after the sides of the beef have been some hours in the chill rooms.” LONG COOLING TIME

After referring to the cooling processes adopted in the Argentine, Dr. Moran states that in many of the frigorifieos it was now the practice to cool the sides of beef for 72 instead of •18 hours. There was a good deal, of controversy as to whether the hessian wrap Avas essential or even beneficial to the meat. He was surprised to find that at most of the works all the kindquarters were tested for bone taint before they were loaded on to the ship. All lighters, says Dr. Moran, were fitted with a refrigeration plant, and in the transfer of the meat from works to lighter, and lighter to ship great care was taken to protect it from wind and sun. The refrigerated spaces were cooled by the brine grid system, and the quarters were hung as in the ocean vessels. The decks and holds of ships carrying chilled beef from the Argentine to the United Kingdom were all cooled by the brine grid system, without artificial air circulation. The age of the beef when it was pitched in Smithfleld depended upon several factors —apart from the duration of the ocean journey—these including its age when leaving the works, its dock on the River Plate at which it was loaded, and the time elapsing before it was discharged in London. From talks with managers of most of the frigorifieos he gained the impression that they were anxious to increase the present margin of safety in the carriage and retailing of chilled beef. :