FIFTH LARGEST IN N.Z.

Chronicle (Levin), 31 July 1947, Page 4

FIFTH LARGEST IN N.Z.

Levin Abattoirs Are Ittodern Works » It was not generally known by local residents that Levin had the fifth largest abattoir in New Zealand, remarked the manager, Mr. F. E. Larsen, yesterday, when a "Chronicle" .representatiye made a visit to the works.. "The standard of meat which passes through these abattoirs is very high," said Mr. Larsen. "Stock is taken to them from as far north as Hawke's Bay."' In describing the sequence in which the stock pasg, through the works, Mr. Larsen explained that there 'are 12 large • paddocks in which the stock was kept overnight'. If stock was killed while hot and excited, the meat would be stringy and tough when cooked. This applied to both cattle and sheep,-;- he said. During the war years the abattoirs had been enlarged and modernised, and the plant could now dispose of 180 cattle and 480 sheep in one day. In an inspection of the abattoirs, Mr. Larsen pointed out the pens in which the stock were put prior to being killed. From these pehs ramps lead to the second floor of the building, where the sheep and cattle are slaughtered. : In the cattle section only one beast can be slaughtered at a time. At the top Of the ramp are two heavy doors which fall before and behind the animal to prevent • it from getting out . and "running amok" if frightened. "It is no joke to have a 1000-lb. beast tear the place to pieces," commented Mr.. Larsen. When imprisoned in the killing pen the animal is stunned with a special apparatus, which ensures that it feels no pain. It is then killed, bled, skinned, gutted, sawn in half, weighed and .finally sent down the' rails to' the storage room, where it' is inspected and graded. This operation takes only six minutes. The carcases are cut 1 with an electric saw, one of the many modern appliances which were fitted during the enlargement. t In the section set aside for sheep the procedure is much the same, explained Mr. Larsen. The only difference was that six men were at work all the time. "Here we can kill and prepare as many as 70 sheep an hour," he said. The hides and skins are sold to manufacturers of leather and skin goods. The offal is made into meat-meal for feeding to stock and into blood-and-bone manure. There is no wastage 'in any department. Novel Machinery ' "There are seldom enough pigs to make a full day's work," said Mr. Larsen. "However, we can kill, on an average, 40 pigs an hour." There is some novel machinery in the pig section of the abattoirs. After the pig has been killed and scalded, an arai automatically lifls the carcase out of the boiling water on to rotating arms, which clean off all the hair. These arms resemble the anfis of a threshing machine, but lare rubber tipped to prevent the skin being torn. As it has previously been bled, this "threshing" will not brulse the carcase! It is then cleaned and ^Vashed ready for the inspectors. Inspection of Meat All meat was inspected and graded before being sent away, said jMr. Larsen. "The interests of the public are protected by the Government inspectors and graders," he said. The inspectors were there to see th§,t all stock sold to the butchers was free of disease and fit for human consumption. After being passed by the inspectors as free of all diseases, the carcases are graded according to condition. The various grades and markings were then explained. To enable the public to recognise the grades, the following table is given: — Sheep : Single red stripe indicates a first grade wether, and for .the second grade a single blue stripe. A double red stripe indicates a first grade hogget and a double blue stripe a second grade. For first grade lambs a single red spaced s ripe is given, and the same in blue for second grade. In cattle and pigs the same colours indicate the grade. Any bo'ner stock is marked with a green stripe, and is used for the manufacture of small goods such as sausages and pressed meats. In the cattle section were hanging some very fine beasts, one marked as having weighed 812 lbs. dressed. This was in no way unusual, said Mj\ Larsen. The abattoirs supply Wellington with a large percentage of its beef and mutton requirements. Some days over 300 carcases were sent there. The conditions under which the men work are. not as bad as might be imagmed. They have shower rooms, a drying room and a dining room, and each man has his own locker. Everyqne seemed to be working systematically and at a speed which would amaze the layman. "** " ■"*