CHILLED BEEF SHIPMENT

Taranaki Daily News, 20 January 1933, Page 12

CHILLED BEEF SHIPMENT

CATTLE FROM WAIRARAPA PROSPECTS OF FUTURE TRADE. IMPORTANCE TO DOMINION. Masterton, Jan. 16. Plans for an experimental shipment of chilled beef to be made early next month by Borthwick and Sons have now taken definite shape and killing-operations will commence at the Waingawa works next Monday. While full stress is laid on the fact that the shipment is purely in the nature of an experiment, and that there are many, technical and other difficulties to be overcome, considerable importance attaches to the enterprise, and should it prove successful competent observers envisage a new and profitable development 'of the Dominion’s beef industry. An inspection of the Commonwealth and Dominion liner Port Fairy, which is due to leave Wellington on February 3 with its special cargo, was made last week by Mr. P. J. Borthwick, a director of Borthwick and Sons, accompanied by the firm’s supervising engineer, Mr. G. R. . Croll. Important matters, such as storage temperatures, were fully discussed with the ship's chief engineer, and arrangements were practically finalised. The shipping company has already had experience in the handling of chilled beef and it was the Port Fairy that carried a recent successful shipment from Australia to London. HINDQUARTERS SELECTED. The beef will be drawn entirely from the Wairarapa district, the beef there being considered particularly suited for the experiment. The consignment will consist of 550 to 600 hindquarters, and only a few forequarters may be sent, so that good storage will be ensured for the hindquarters. Discussing the matter to-day, Mr. Borthwick said that if the chilled beef trade did come in New Zealand, and he hoped it would, the demand would be for hindquarters. From a marketable point of view at Home, he added, there was little difference in price between chilled and frozen forequarters. Touching on the all-important question of the actual chilling, Mr. Borthwick said that it was necessary to get the bone temperature of the carcase down to about 32 degrees Farenheit, and to do this, it was considered, would take about 40 hours. It was then necessary to hold the quarters at about 33 degrees Farenheit until they were actually loaded out. Contrary to general opinion, it was possible to carry out chilling at the Waingawa works, although this would not be sufficient for permanent chilling. “If the shipment proves satisfactory and a trade is worked up,” said Mr. Borthwick, “we will instal proper and comprehensive equipment, but first of all we have got to satisfy ourselves that chilling can be commercially satisfactory and that the accommodation on boats can be secured at commercially satisfactory rates.” Unlike frozen beef, chilled beef could not be stacked for export, but had to be hung on rails, and it was, most important that individual quarters did not come into contact, said Mr. Borthwick. This fact brought out the increased freight on chilled as compared with frozen beef. Details of the freightage on chilled beef from New Zealand to England were not available, but it was interesting to note that the present freight, on chilled meat from Australia to the United Kingdom was 1 5-8 d a pound, afj compared with 5-8 d a pound from South Africa and South America. ' AUSTRALIAN EXPERIMENT. It had also to be remembered, of course, that chilled beef showed 105 pubic feet to the ton, as against 85 cubic feet to the ton in the case of frozen beef. In connection with the recent Australian shipment, hindquarters averaged on the London market lid a ppimd above the nominal price for Australian frozen beef. ■ The principal demand in this section of export trade, said ■ Mr. Borthwick, was for hindquarters averaging from about 1601 b to 1801 b. It was essential that the beef should be young and small, the type particularly required being good prime beef, weighing from ,6501 b to 7501 b. ' • VVX Questioned regarding the suitability of New Zealand beef for the trade, Mr. Borthwick said that one of the principal objects of the shipment was to give Dominion farmers an idea of what was wanted. “If we show the farmer exactly what we want,” he added, “he can breed it.” Once' the New Zealand farmer was helped, Mr. Borthwick considered that he would be able. to produce beef suitable for chilling. At the present time, he continued, beef in New Zealand was chiefly a by-product to sheep and lamb, but if a trade for chilled beef was worked up the farmer would have to produce beef for beef’s sake, as well as keeping his country in good order for his sheep and lambs. Even if the ships were available Mr. Borthwick did not think sufficient supplies would be offering to warrant weekly shipments. . Fortnightly shipments seemed quite feasible. The firm was grateful to the Railway Department, the Commonwealth and Dominion Shipping Company and the Meat Board for their assistance in connection with the experiment. “It is an experiment in actual chilling, and an experiment to try and help the farmer,” concluded Mr. Borthwick.