“BABY BEEF”

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 253, 25 October 1937, Page 9

“BABY BEEF”

Required In London ALSO LIGHT-WEIGHT LAMB EXPERT’S TRIP ABROAD Butchers in all parts of England appreciate the quality of New Zealand meat, said Mr. W. J. Marks, buyer foi the Westfield Freezing Company, who returned to Auckland last week after a trip through England and Canada. The object of his trip, apart from seeing the Coronation, was to study the wholesale and retail meat trade in London.

What the English meat market wants above all, he said, is lightweight carcases. Fat and heavy lambs are not suitable and to establish more firmly their leading position in the lamb trade New Zealand farmers should concentrate on light-weights. Exporters could encourage them by paying a premium on the lighter types of lamb.

In the same way the butcher in England cannot find a ready market for large and unwieldy joints of beef. He requires small joints and it is to New Zealand’s advantage to supply him with the carcases of young, smallboned cattle. The need for this is fully appreciated by Argentine exporters and the cattle they send are nearly all two or three-year-olds. The home farmer goes even further and kills his beef at 20 months in most cases, for demand is largely for “baby beef.” The good quality of New Zealand chilled beef is recognised by the Home trade, continued Mr. Marks, and the expansion of our exports of chilled at the expense of frozen beef has been a profitable move. The meat does not bring the same price as Argentine, owing to the long distance from the market. The Argentine beef keeps its “bloom,” being only 12 to 14 days on the way to London. Faster boats are improving New Zealand’s position in this respect. Mr. Marks referred to the good work of the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board in advertising our lamb in all parts of the United Kingdom. Everywhere he went he saw New Zealand lamb in the shops and prominently advertised. Even in a North of Wales town he visited the butcher showed him some prime lamb from this country. The London butchers’ methods did not impress him, being far behind those of the leading Auckland butchers. The shop fronts opened on to the footpath, and the meat was exposed to the dust and petrol fumes of the streets. It looked unfit for human consumption, he said, in many cases.

At the Smithfield market Mr Marks was struck by the wonderful display of meat from all parts of the world, and the huge volume handled each day. New Zealand mutton, lamb and pork was well to the fore and commanded a high place in the estimation of the market.