QUALITY IN FROZEN MEAT.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XXVII, Issue 5, 20 November 1923, Page 346

QUALITY IN FROZEN MEAT.

The following remarks were made recently by Mr. J. Fraser, General Manager to the New Zealand Meat-producers’ Board —-

“ It is a better proposition for a farmer to produce high-quality mutton of medium weight than sheep running up to, say, 75 lb. In years gone by the difference on Smithfield in value between good-quality light sheep was a matter of farthings ; to-day there is a difference of pence per pound, so insistent is the demand for light sheep of good quality.

“ To-day a 55 lb. wether of prime quality would realize on Smithfield about 8-g-d. per pound, equal to 38s. nd. per headj whereas a heavy wether weighing, say, 75 lb. would realize about 6|d. per pound, equal to 40s. 7d. per head. But, in addition to this, we must take into consideration the respective cost of placing these sheep on the Smithfield market, including killing, freezing, freight, and London chargeson a 55 lb. wether at, say, 2fd. = 12s. 7d. ; on a 75 lb. wether at the same price = 17s. 2d. On these figures, based on Smithfield prices, a 55 lb. wether works out at about 2s. nd. more than a 75 lb. Besides this loss, the reputation of our meat is not improved by sending heavy mutton of indifferent quality. ’

“ The same applies to beef. There is a demand for a limited amount of heavy beef, provided it is of prime quality, but what the London market wants is bullocks weighing from, say, 700 lb. to 800 lb., of prime quality, and not too old.”