THE WORLD’S MEAT.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8513, 5 August 1921, Page 6 (Supplement)

THE WORLD’S MEAT.

NEW ZEALAND’S WONDERFUL

POSITION.

'lhe United States Bureau of Crop Estimates has beet, diverging from the study of crops to say something about the world’s supply of meat. This is particularly interesting to New Zealand, as tho figures show the large share provided by this country. As far as mutton and lamb were concerned, New Zealand was pre-eminent in 1915 as the world’s supplier. Here is an extract from the article referred to:—

“Argentine’s share of the world’s export meat trade, which for many years has been next below that of the United States, declined from 28 per cent, in 1913 to 25.2 per cent, in 1915, but rose to 28.5 per cent, in 1917, and rapidly to 34.3 per cent, in 1918. Beginning with 1911, that country has supplied more than one-half of the world’s beef export, except in 1916 and 1917, when it was not convenient to do so. Argentina's beef fraction for 1913 was 55.3, for 1916 it was 46.8, and for 1918 it was 51.6.

“Australia has long supplied about one-tenth to one-fifth of the world's beef exports, but the war caused the fraction to fall below one- tenth, and by 1918 to 8.4 per cent.

“New Zealand supplied 44 per cent, of the world’s export mutton and lamb in 191 g, and increased the fraction to 70 per cent, in 1915, but there was a recession to the former 44 per cent, in 1918.' Argentina has usually exceeded Australia as a source of mutton and lamb supply, and did so during the war, in the last year of which it was providing 35 per cent, of the world’s total, while Australia provided 19 per cent. “In the international pork supply the United States had left but little room for any other country. Indeed, Canada is the only country that has a share large enough to be seen. It was 3 per cent, of the world’s total in 1913, and the fraction gained year by year to 13 per cent, in 1918.

“The rise of Brazil, China, and British South Africa into some prominence as meat-exporting countries during the war is notable, especially Brazil. From a nominal export of 1,700,000 pounds of meat from Brazil in 1913 and 1914, the quantity jumped to 94,000,000 pounds in 1916, to 230,000,000 pounds in 1917, and to 251,000,000 pounds in 1919, of which 146,000,000 pounds was beef, 46,000,000 pounds pork, and 59,000,000 pounds unidentified meat. “China was exporting from 50,000,000 to 65,000,000 pounds of beef and pork from 1912 to 1915. The quantity became 101,000,000 pounds in 1917 and rose to 148,000,000 pounds in 1919. From British South Africa meat exports, mostly beef, increased from about 500,000 pounds at the time the war began to 18,000,000 pounds by 1916, and to 46,500,000 pounds by 1919.

“Not until 1909 did beef exceed pork in the world’s exports. Front the year before the war began to 1918, the last year of the war, beef, as a fraction of total meat exports for the world, grew from 42.7 per cent, to 46.1 per cent ; pork grew from 3.7 per cent, to 35.5 per cent., and mutton lost in their favour, with a decline from 13.6 to 5.6 per cent.”

THE MEAT INDUSTRY

Some idea of the importance of the meat industry of South America may be gathered from a recent report. In Argentina there 12 refrigerating establishments and 84 other meat works, involving an inspectorial staff of 65 veterinary officers and 104 ordinary inspectors. In Uruguay there are 15 veterinary officers and 26 inspectors, with three abattoirs and freezing works. The breeds of cattle most favoured are Shorthorns, Herefords, AberdeenAngus; of sheep, Leicesters, Lincolns, Merinos; of pigs, Poland China and Berkshire. From Argentina were exported from January to October 1,416,299 frozen carcases of mutton, 3,833,178 frozen beef quarters, and 544,705 chilled beef quarters.

YOUNG BEEF GAINING IN POPULARITY.

Consumers are showing a steadily growing preference for the meat from younger animals. The baby beef and two-year-old steer is gradually taking the place formerly accorded to the older, heavier animal three and four years of age. Feeders are recognising it and fat stock shows are being compelled to open classes for younger animals. The London Smithfield Show is the latest to alter classes in this regard. At the next Smithfield show eight classes will be opened for cattle not exceeding fifteen months of age, whereas formerly the youngest classes were for steers and heifers under two years old. Nor is the tendency confined to cattle. Some years ago the yearling wether was, supposed to be the prime mutton carcase, yet to-day the market shows the preference for welbfattened lamb. The demand for pigs has been steadily calling for a younger

animal. Fortunately the wishes of the consumer and of the producer are in agreement in this respect. The producer finds that the early finished animals usual!.'/ returns him a larger profit, because he gains more rapidly in tho early stages, and more weight is put on with less feed. That more cattle are not marketed as “baby beef" in Canada may be largely attributed to a lack of sufficient cheap, succulent feed for the winter months. Without a good supply of this the animal cannot be kept in sufficient condition to finish properly at the earlier age. It

would look, however, as if feeders will need to recognise this growing demand for younger meats if they are to produce animals that will bring the premiums on the market; not only here, but across the water. The giant ox of former days is out of fashion now'.