BEEF FROM AUSTRALIA IMPROVES.

Shannon News, 29 August 1922, Page 4

BEEF FROM AUSTRALIA IMPROVES.

LEAVING KIDNEYS IN LAMBS

PROTEST FROM RETAIL TRADERS. London, August 24. The meat trade’s “Journal” says that Australian frozen beef now offering at Smithfield is of excellent quality. Apparently the methods of handling have much improved.

The National Federation of Retail Meat Traders has cabled a protest gainst the proposal to leave kidneys in lambs, as they claim this practice is likely to cause, serious deterioration and consequent loss.

KIDNEYS MUST BE LEFT IN.

ECONOMIC LOSS TO NEW ZEALAND. The New Zealand Meat Producers ’ Board has issued a statement that in a report to the Board, the manager has drawn attention to the practice which many of the freezing works have of taking out the kidneys of lambs and also a great part of the kidney fat. The Board has gone into the matter very fully and are unanimously of tho opinion that this practice is not in the interests of the producers, and is a great economic loss to the Dominion. In .the course of their investigations the Board has ascertained that there were 3,951,287 lambs killed for export this season up to the 15th July. The following are particulars of how these lambs were treated in this respect: — With kidneys and part of kidney fat taken out .. 3,239,432 With kidneys and kidney fat left intact 711,855 From tests made by the Board, tho weight of kidneys and kidney fat removed would average about lilbs., which, if left in the lamb, would have been sold in London along with the rest of the carcase. From inquiries made in London, the majority of large retailors and Smithfield salesmen express the opinion that it is advantageous to leave the kidneys in lambs. The Smithfield salesmen also point out that kidneys are left in the lambs by our Argentine and Australian competitors. This loss would not hve been so pronounced if the price for fat was high, but at present many freezing companies are only giving- fd per lb. for fat; so it is easily seen what a serious loss this is to the producer.

To illustrate what this means to a producer or an exporter shipping lambs on his own account, if the kidneys were left intact:

Ho would gain ljlbs. of lamb @ say Hid gross, London 17.25 d less, say lilbs. fat @ fd per lb 1.125 d 16.125 d Less cost of killing, freight, London charges, etc., about 5.1253 lid Looking at the positron from a freezing company’s point of view, and what it means to them in the case of a producer or exporter shipping through their works, by taking out the lambs’ kidneys and also part of the kidney fat: The company would gain— Two kidneys, valued @, say, id each 1.5 d lilbs. kidney fat, @ id per valued at amount paid to client Nil.

1.5 d The company would lose — The freezing charge on l£lbs. lamb @, say, l.lOd per lb. l.G5d It is very apparent from these figures that the freezing companies are not making a profit but of this practice, and it is certainly very costly to the producer or exporter, and this year alone, based on the killings to the 15th July, the loss amounts to; — 703,527 killed in the North Island, estimated loss in value @ 8d per head £23,450 2,535,905 killed in the South Island, estimated loss in value @ lid per head £146,228 3,239,432 £139,678 The Board has now notified all freezing companies that kidneys and kiduey fat must be left in lambs slaughtered for export.