MEAT PACKING METHODS

Hokitika Guardian, 13 March 1924, Page 1

MEAT PACKING METHODS

IN MONTE VIDEO. The meat and canning industry of the world has become one of the widest and largest combinations in existence. Great trusts have boon formed, huge companies benefit by the enormous profits, and factories for the killing, freezing and canning of millions of sheep and bullocks have, in order to meet the great demands of the meat-eating nations, been set up in till corners of the earth. In Monte Yideo there are many of these factories, and they call them frigorificos. The largest there, and possibly the largest in the world, the Frigorifico Monte A'ideo, is owned by a huge Chicago firm, and many interesting disclosures as regards the place have been related to a "Star” representative by Mr W. F. Sinclair , who for twelve months, was chief electrician of the place, and who studied everything. The Frigorifico Monte A'ideo stands on many square miles of land, is on a point practiealy surrounded by the sea, and encompassed by a stone wall. There are two points of entrance to this miniature city—a city with its own police, gaol, fire brigade, electric alarm systems and power plants—and these two entrances are uonstantly guarded by the police. No one can gain admission unless possessed by a worker’s pass or authority from the superintendent,. .MODERN METHODS EMPLOYED.

The procedure in dealing with the cattle from the time they enter as living beasts and come out as frozen quarters or canned beef, is on the lines, which appeal very forcibly ’to anyone who has witnessed the practices in some of our New Zealand works. The cattle, waiting on the wharves the company's private wharves) are driven in from the corralls up a lung sloping ramp and into the killing room the lazy and stubborn animals being encouraged by the latest style ill electric prodders. They are then driven between concrete walls and knocked down by knocking hammers. (How great a thing is modernism.) While the beasts are still lying ill a stunned condition, the floor tilts up and they slide out on to the “pritching” plates, where .short chains are fastened round the hind logs, and they are hoisted electrically to such a height that the head hangs clear of the floor. The throat is then cut. A .slaughterman pulls a handle and the string of bullocks start off on ail electric runaway and while oil the journey are skinned, cut up, checked and graded—in short dealt with in every way until they reach the chilling rooms. The cooler building is five stories high, and each floor lias been known to hold k>d,ooo sheep and 12,000 bullocks ill quarters. Here the quarters stay for some days following which he carcases run by gravity out to the end of the wharf and into refrigerated lighters awaiting their icy consignments. The carcases. it should he mentioned, are under cover the whole

That is, briefly, the procedure under the most modern conditions, which Is followed in regard to the. meat. GOOD ENOUGH FOR ENGLAND. "Now the common idea.” said Air Sinclair, "is that the best beef goes to England. Let mo give you a specimen ot a circular letter which is sent pi.-i, 1 'call- ivich i hi-, to the head.'- of

dep.it fment.'-. 1 'Gentlenten. we com mcm-e killing at 7 a.in. to-morrow, and will kill approximately 2500 head of cattle. These will he graded A, B, and grades. Anything unsuitable for A. B. and C to he graded “English chilled” (the rubbish), and anything unsuitable i'ur the "English chilled” In he sent to the tutting room (to be (.finned—(the rubbish of rubbish).’”

The plant handles about this number cattle all the year round. There are no seasons in the Frigorifico. "Canning,” eoiit inued the speaker, "is only a side-line with the company, and yet 25,00(1 one-pound tins are turned out every 2-1 hours. Tilts does not include sixpoitwd tin- or longues.” The buying of cat t L- caused a great deal of dissatisfaction, on account of the buyers handing together, and giving enlv on" set price for cattle. There was no (ompetition. The newspapers tunic the matter up, hut the Frigorifico, with more money than Monte A’ideo itself, was practically a law unto itself, and nothing could Sl'ei (.ssfully oppose it.

NEVER A CARCASE REJECTED. **. c: l>e«k:»ii£ of competition when you realise that two miles away l'rom the plant with which wo arc dealing, was tile Government Krigroificn Uruguay with a capacity ol' ahout half this ami that two miles further round the river again, was the Cihels, with the citpiteify equalling that of the Goveniinent one. and witli others further on again, including old friend Fray Bentos, which the soldiers will surely recognise—when you realise that all those plane,s are situated in a country with a population of 100.000, voti can understand the enormous odds against which other places. including this Dominion, have to compete.

The Frigoriiieo, with its heads of departments, including three Australians and one New Zealander, a Mr Taylor, who was in charge of the wool .store, living on the premises, included in its numbers eight or nine Government veterinary surgeons, whose duty it was to inspect the cattle. It is sufficient to say here, that despite the rule that no animal should he killed unless aide to walk' on the killing floor, and that no diseased animal should under any circumstances, housed for food purposes, Air Sinclair asserts that, during the twelve months he was in residence on the plant he never saw a carcase rejected. Compare this statement to the number of cattle killed per day. and the inference is obvious.