HAWKE'S BAY BEEF

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 32, 22 February 1937, Page 8

HAWKE'S BAY BEEF

(Own Correspondent. — By Air Mail.)

. i i- - Smithfield Judges Praise Winning Pen

LONDON Jan. 24. Beef forwarded to Smithfield by the Hawke' s Bay Agricultural and Pastoral Society arrived by the New Zealaud Star and was judged in the main shop of Messrs W. Weddell and Co., in the Grand Avenue of the market. It consisted of 104 quarters and the judges' cotament was that the meat was exceedingly bright, i retaining all its bloom and in very satisfactory chilled condition. They also expressed the opinion that there seems to be a tendency in New Zealand to leave the cutting of the bulloeks too late, and they drew attention to some very thick and wasteful flanks, which are not to be tound on Argentine beef. It appeared, they said, that the beasts when alive would be very thick m the barrel. Nevertheless, they considered that the five pena placed first would cut more full of meat and therefore with more economy to the butcher than the Argentine product. They complimented the works on perfect dressing and handling. Their comment upon the baby beef was that it was disappointing, for out of 14 hinds only sjx could be classed as really first-class quality. ' Smithfield bases its awards in these competitions on the following points:— An ideal quarter is 1501b. to 1751b. Hinds must cut full and be thick in the rump and loin. and with a large "eye" of meat in the loin. The texture must be fine aud the top piece should be shori. Fores must be full in the back, covered on the ribs aud of good texture on the fore-rib. It is considered that hinds should neither carry too much kidney and cold fat, nor be too long in the leg nor too thick in the flank. It is also held that fores should not carry weight at the expense of the hinds. No dilficulty was experienced m selecting the winning pen, • No. 516. Its weights were held to . be ideal, and it was said that better quality hinds or fores 'have s'eldom - been seen on the Smithfield market, - including uieat from South Ameriea. The fores carried a big "eye" of meat, which was outstanding, and the hinds were full ia the buttock and loin, and carried no waste whatever.