AGE OF "FREEZERS"

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2229, 18 September 1889, Page 2

AGE OF "FREEZERS"

Some oorreipondoncfl having lately uken plaoe between one of the Southland Finanoe Companies and a well-known fir en of meat salesmen m London, on the qunntlon at t> whether a oona'gnment of fri.zan nm^on was oompviaed of ''rather old sheep," it may be useful m tha way of general information s*ys a concern* ; porxry to give the expert's explanation, whloh Is an f oil owa r — " la the London market, where anoh an enormous bmlneit is daily transit cted m matton and beef, It is natural for both buyers and sailor a to acquire, amonii other teohnlofcl knowledge, a facility for guessing, with mote or less exaotneaa. the approximate age of the animals famishing the meat* Tha most oonspionous indications are to be found m the bone, whioh preients ?«rj dlffermt appearances at different ages. The color of the akin of tha back la also another indlottlon, It being considerably darker la an old sheep than In » young one. Wa are aware that auoh symptoms are oooaslonally deceptive. For example, even In the oaie of quite a young iheepi If at any time It baa been In poor, lean condition, the mere fattening of It will not restore it to what it might bare been if well ; fed thrpnghont, and alongside the oaroaeo of a similar sheep that hii.'neref been ont of oonditloo It will look bide* than it really Is. Experts here agreed thata thaop.oannot be killed too young, provided that It baa attained Its fulletft mußoulsr development, say, at 16 months old, and Is m good oonditlon as regardi fatneaa. Of oourse, m the colonies, whftie sheep are grown primarily for their wool) the ayttem may not pay, but we hare alwayn considered it expedient to keep the eyes of onr oorreapondeats open to the fact that it Is the beat system as far ai the matton Is conoeroed."