LAMB EXPORTS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 July 1941, Page 4

LAMB EXPORTS

SPACE-SAVING METHODS

ADVANTAGES OF TELESCOPING.

STATEMENT BY MEAT BOARD MANAGER.

The following statement on the treatment of export lamb with a view to conserving shipping space has been received from the General Manager of the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board (Mr John Fraser): — “I have noted in a recent issue of the “Times-Age” a report regarding a discussion relating to the trimming versus telescoping of lamb for export.

“Since the commencement of the war, the manner in which our meat should be cut and packed for shipment to the United Kingdom has been a matter of discussion with the British Ministry of Food and all their instructions have been carried out implicitly. “As applying to lamb, the definite instructions were to telescope each carcase. The same method was adopted in the last war. No other method has been brought forward that will give the same results. Tests which have recently been carried out by the board to demonstrate the respective merits of telescoped carcases and trimmed carcases suggested by Mr Timbs show that the loss in twelve carcases trimmed according to Mr Timbs’s method represents 14.4 per cent of weight and the space taken to stack when frozen, occupied 24,765 cubic inches. In the case of twelve lambs telescoped, the cubic space taken by these carcases occupied 22,185 cubic inches. A percentage of 14.4 of trimmed lamb means a loss of approximately 24,000 tons on our annual export production, and the extra space occupied by trimmed carcases would mean, if this method were brought into operation, that at least 1,000,000 less lambs would be exported, resulting in a greater quantity of lambs being held back in our stores. This would be reflected back to the farmer as it would mean less livestock being killed for export through not utilising the shipping tonnage available to the fullest advantage. “All lamb is valuable food, and to suggest destroying 24,000 tons of good meat when it can be carried in a smaller space by the telescoping method is unthinkable.

“Someone has to pay for this loss of 24.000 tons of good food. Does Mr Timbs suggest that the farmers should bear it? And that the farmer has to kill less stock because of trimmed carcases occupying more space? If the farmer has to bear this loss, it becomes a national loss, as it would mean less money coming into the Dominion and would affect our national economy. “The foregoing however, does not tell the whole story for there are other very serious shortcomings associated with the trimming of carcases which do not compare favourably with the telescoping methods: for instance, the exposure of a greater surface of the good meat would be detrimental to the carcase, especially if stored for a. long period. “Under the -method of telescoping the main principle is not only to save space on the carrying vessel, but also in refrigerated stores, and to land the carcases in the United Kingdom in the best possible condition. These ideals are achieved by the method of telescoping. “Every effort is being made by the British Government to send refrigerated ships for New Zealand produce and we must therefore endeavour iny every way possible to utilise the space available to the fullest extent.