EXPORT OF MEAT.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4606, 26 September 1923, Page 4

EXPORT OF MEAT.

PREPARATION OF CARCASES. SYSTEM IN SOUTH AMERICA. The following interesting information on the preparation of meat for export in South America was supplied to the N;Z. Meat Producers’ Board By Mr J. Fraser, who has been .studying the business in the Argentine and Uruguay:— Extraordinary care is taken in ha??dling live stock consigned to the freezing works. Cattle or, sheep must not remain longer than thirty-six hours in the trucks ; after this period they must be untrucked,-watered, and fed by the railway companies before continuing their journey. Practically all cattle are dehorned, the freezing works giving preference to dehorned cattle when purchasing. Sir Walter Buchanan and many pthers in New Zealand have for years advocated dehorning cattle. Personally I thought too much importance was given to this matter, but after seeing the effect on cattle so treated in the Argentine I am fully converted, and cannot emphasise too strongly the importance of dehorning all bullocks, Treated when young, only a knife is employed. Removing the horns of bullocks has the effect of making them very quiet, the animal knowing that his chief offensive weapon is gone. The cattle are rested at least fortyeight hours at the freezing works before slaughter, and as they may have been a long time without food they are lightly fed on dried alfalfa immediately on arrival,, but have no food within twenty-four hours of slaughter. What impressed me about the Argentine cattle that were sent along to the wonks was their evenness in size, shape, and condition. The attention that has been given to careful breeding during the last twenty years in Shorthorns, Herefords, and Aberdeen Angus cattle has had wonderful results. Although our cattle are not so finely bred, yet in flavour our primest beef is equal, if not better, than the Argentine beef. The mixed diet of various grasses, and the puPer water which our cattle get, probably account for this, whereas most of the Argentine cattle are fattened purely on alfalfa, and often have indifferent water.

All the works in the Argentine kill and dress their; beef on the chain system, and a great many also treat their mutton and tlamb in the same way.

The native of the Argentine uses a knife practically from his infancy. Many of them still use the native knife, which is shaped not unlike a blade of a shears. Their average drossing is ahead of ours, although I have seen work turned out at some of our works equal to theirs. But there is no good disguising the fact that the dressing at a good many of our works requires a lot of improvement, and the sooner we get to work to remedy it the better for our reputation. The quality of our mutton and lamb cannot be beaten, but we must see that it is properly dressed, bagged, and placed on the market to the best advantage. It is almost unbelievable the amount of care given to the smallest detail in the dressing of beef. All superficial bruises are cut away—the sawing down is all done by hand, and extends almost right down to the neck, only a small part being chopped ; some packers saw right down to •the neck. After being pawn down skewers are attached to the meat adhering to the spine to keep it from receding back. Skewers are also used on other parts of the carcase with the same object. Clean cloth wipers are attached by skewers to the necks and backs of kidneys to take up any dripping of blood whilst in the cooling room. Kidneys are left in aill lambs, and are also left in most cattle. They are taken put of all sheep. At one works the kidneys are also left in young sma/U sheep. Immediately before slaughter the cattle are put under a cold showerbath, which, besides cleaning them, also cools them down, which is very essential to the dressing and appearance generally.' In some works practically no water is used at all in the dressing of either beef,, mutton, or lamb, except in the forequarters around the neck, etc. All the surface of the meat is thoroughly wiped with warm, damp wipers. These wipers are kept scrupulously clean, and are retained in a specially prepared steam box, which, while keeping them warm and damp, also sterilises them. I remarked on the beautiful bloom retained on the surface of the meat so treated. 'As some works they, brush down the surface of the meat with a hand brash, that ejects warm water, then wipe it dry. This treatment, to my mind, destroys the bloom, and the result is that the surface of the meat has a colourless, dead appearance;

Many of pur works in New Zealand use too much water in the dressing, which, besides dstroying the bloom, is also retained in the pores of the surface, which when frozen expands and shatters the cells, giving the meat a very sodden appearance when thawed out. - One large packing plant has been experimenting for years as regards using water, and very satisfactory results have been obtained by wiping the beef with hot cloths as already described. Practically all "these shipments arrive in London fnee from mould, whereas when they used water they frequently had trouble. AU Argentine works hold their beef intended for freezing in the chilling room for at least forty-eight hours before quartering. The temperature at the time it is cut is about 34' degrees, with the result that at the ribs where it is cut, the meat and fat being firm, does not recede away from the bone, and the quarter does not lose its shape in handling. In the Dominion, at most works, the meat is only held for about twenty-four hours in the chilling room before quartering, and at some works even less, with the result that the beef is not set when it is quartered, which has a very bad effect on the appearance of the beef generally. This is a very important matter, and is one of the first steps we should take improve the dressing of our beef.

Special attention is given in the Argentine to the coverings on meat. All beef shipped has two covers —i. sto'.kingette cover inside and hessian outside. Stpckingette covers are mostly used on mutton and lamb, the bags being made large enuogh to cover every part of the carcase. The treatment of hides in the Argentine is -different to the methods adopted at most of the .works in New Zetland. After the hides are removed from the carcases they are well washed and superfluous fat removed; then they are put into a brine tank. After they have been in this pickle for about twenty-four hours they are taken out and put into a large heap, with plenty of salt applied to each hide. Salt is also heaped on the sides and top of the stock, ,so as to exclude all air. They are kept in this stack for at least twenty-one days before being shipped. The amount ,of “cut hides” is very small, being less than one per cent. Compared with New Zealand the Argentine has many > advantages in the frozen meat trade, the folflpwing being some of the main ones : Shorter distance from markets; fe.wer works, continual killing, bigger turnover; ability to utilise al 1 by-products; cheaper labour; cheaper ccs,t of supplies ; proximity of all Argentine works to loading ports; exchange. Being only about three weeks steaming from their markets is an immense advantage to the Argentine, enabling them to place their meat on the maiket quickly (either chilled or frozen meat) and at a low freight cost. A country so situated is also able to take full advantage of a rising market. Most of the larger works in the Argentine are situated on the Plate River, and kill all the year round. The largest can handle in one day 2500 cattle and 5000 sheep or lambs, besides pigs, turkeys, etc. Freezing works in Argentine, Uruguay, and Chili amount to about twenty, with an average yearly turnover of over 14,000,000 freight carcases, whilst in the Dominion we have about 43 works, shipping about 7,000,000 freight carcases annually. Electing freezing works in districts where the production warrants it is a sound policy, but when carried to excess becomes a great economic loss, which the producer has to meet. We have too many in the Dominion, very few beingv run to their full capacity, All by-products .are utilised in the Argentine works —hearts, livers, kidneys, brains, skirts, tripes, etc. are frozen and shipped to the United Kingdpm or the Continent. Great' care is taken in the way of making them as attractive as possible ; also in the packing. All sinews, bladders, wizards, etc., are dried and shipped to the United States. Everything is utilised, even the bristles from the backs of pigs, and the special hair from the inside of the ears of cattle, which is used in the manufacture of fine brushes. The small turnover at most of our works Would not permit of the utilisation of all these by-pro-ducts. At most of the Argentine works I was particularly struck with the number of youths and women employed, principally in the preparation of the different by-products.. The chain system is used, not only in the killing and dressing of meat, but is also in vogue in other departments. This system is very applicable to unskilled labour, each man, woman, or youth having one special job to do 'naturally in time becomes a specialist at it. Should any defects be noticed by the supervisor he is able to tell at once which worker is responsible. A number of works in the Argentine now use oil in their furnaces. Some of this oil is produced locally. All the works being situated on the coast or banks of rivers, the cost o f handling oil, coal, or other stores is very small. Also being able to load meat direct from the works into the ocean steamers is an immense saving in cost, the Iniers laying right alongside most of the works.