“CHAIN” KILLING IN MEAT WORKS

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 93, 14 January 1935, Page 10

“CHAIN” KILLING IN MEAT WORKS

Australian Visitor’s View “UNQUALIFIED SUCCESS” IN NEW ZEALAND “Throughout New Zealand the ‘chain’ system of killing has been installed in all meatworks, and is an unqualified success,” writes “Yattalunga.” in an article in Hie "Courier-Mail,” Brisbane. “Ydttaluuga” is Colonel. C. P. Butler, Agricultural Editor of the “Advertiser,” Adelaide, and he was recently in the Dominion with the Deputy-Director of Agriculture for South Australia, Mr. W. J. Spafford. From New Zealand they proceeded to South America, and after three months in that country will visit South Africa, for the purpose of examining the methods adopted by the competitors of Australian producers in the markets of the Northern Hemisphere. “I had the opportunity of seeing the ‘chain’ system working at three centres, and there is no doubt that greater efficiency is obtained in every direction, in comparison with the old solo methods of slaughter,” writes “Yattalunga.” “I was advised that, although-the output of lambs per man employed on the ‘chain’ is no greater than under the old methods, the carcases are better dressed, the skins are more valuable, and more by-products are obtained. The work is certainly less laborious for the men, and the killing .board is cleaner and less congested. Treatment Charges. "The treatment charges for the season, which include receiving, slaughtering, freezing, bagging, Meat Board levy, railage of carcases from works to boat at Napier, wharfage, lighterage, and freight to Great Britain, are as follows Mutton, 1.412 d. a lb.; lamb, 1.707 J.; hoggets, 1.512 d.; beef, in quarters, 1.247 d.; beef, boneless, 1.797 d.; veal, 1.427 d.; and pork, 1.547 U At the end of the season meatworks in some eases pay bonuses in tlie form of rebates on these charges to the r clients, which in Hie Hastings works iast season amounted to 2d. a sheep and 4d. a lamb. “Farmers shipping to London on their own account can have their lamb skins fellmongered at the works at a charge of 2d. per lb. of wbol, with a minimum charge of sd. per sheep skin and 4d. per lamb skin. On the other band, they can have the skins cured or sold green if desired. “It is claimed by one of the oldest meat exporters in New Zealand that lambs passing through the various markets, and from there to the meatworks, not only Ipse weight, but deteriorate in flavour as compared with those that are drawn straight from their mothers to the slaughterhouse. Dragged Through Saleyards. “ ‘You can never hope to compete with New Zealand in the lamb export trade while so ma.ny of your lambs in Australia are dragged through the saleyards and there purchased for export,” said Nr. W. Richmond, of Hastings, who has teen associated with the-lamb export trade in the Dominion for nearly 40 years. He contended that in the first place such a system was uneconomical, and resulted in loss of weight to the extent of thousands of pounds annually, but more serious still was the fact that unless the lambs could be slaughtered within, at the most. 36 hours after being taken from their mothers, the meat suffered to a great extent in the matter of flavour and texture. "Refbrring to the loss of weight through delay in killing. Mr. Richmond told of ' an instance this season where lie had arranged for a consignment of 240 lambs to be killed on tlie same day as they were lifted : but a delay in motor transport resulted in only two-thirds of them reaching the works in time. These returned an average dressed weight of 34.911 b.. and there were eight second-grade carcases. The balance of the consignment, killed first thing next morning, averaged 33.941 b. weight, p_ad there were 12 second-grade carcases. “ ‘lt should be the aim of all those associated with the lamb export trade, and particularly the stock agents,” said Mr. Richmond, ‘to induce breeders cither to dispose of their lambs to export buyers on the farm or consign them direct to the works for sale on their own account.’ Branding of Meat "Tlie requirement in regard to branding all meat will) the name of the country of origin, as provided for in the latest regulations in Great Britain, is being carried out in New Zealand with little if any disfigurement to the carease. Exporters make no objection to the brand; in fact. 1 think they rather appreciate Hie regulation, believing that it prevents the sale in London of lambs from other countries which have in the past been offered as ’New Zealand.’ "When branding the carcase care is taken not to make Hie impression too heavy, and the dye. being a very light brown in colour, is hardly discernible when first put on, but, I was told, becomes a little more prominent after freezing. Not only has this branding ink been found lo be non-running when first applied to the carcase, but it remains fixed after Hie meat has been thawed out. “When in Melbourne a few weeks ago. I ascertained that trouble was being experienced with the dye used in branding the Australian meat, and. after seeing Hi.? results in New Zealand, I obtained particulars of the ingredients of the dye being used here, which are as follows:--Water. six parts by weight: methylated spirit, six parts by weight: sugar, three parts by weight; glycerine, one part: dye to be added to suit.”