Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-30
BABY BEEF NEWEST
PACKING PROBLEM
Handy-Weight Steers More in
Demand NoW-Frozen
Cuts Introduced.
BY ]. C. ROYLE.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, July 30.-Agriculture
and industry are at last growing up to
their college songs. That is one reason
why the live stock and meat industry
today is in turmoil.
Years ago, the University of Utah, in
the heart of the cattle belt, and Of an
agricultural section, used to have song
which ran, in part:
"They say that us Mormon boys amt
got no style.
"All the while we got style, we got style
all the while.
1--WE got style all the while, all the
while"
The cattle industry now "has got
STYLE" and the acquisition is wracking to
the industry. Big heavy 4-year-old
steers, once the pride of grower and
feeder, are as victorian as the hustle.
baby beef" and the growers are as OPP
posed to this fashion as are the textile
producers to short skirts.
Big Steers Not in Demand.
The demand is for fresh beef, not too
fat, and of a handy weight, approx
mately 1000 pounds or under. The big
sturdy 4-year-old steer weighing 1,450
or 1900 pounds is not in acute demand.
There is profit in baby beef, but there
is not the margin that existed in the
heavier and older steers, according to
growers. The young steers, fed a bal
market, may weigh between $50 and 800
pounds. 1t takes almost as long to fin
ish" this baby beef as it did to fatten big
steers, but the poundage does not yield
the same return, although the calves
put on weight somewhat faster than the
older animals.
The change in the fashion, is at
tributed by packers and growers to the
entry Of the chain store meat market
with the trade to which these stores
cater. When 1t comes to the higher
grades of beef, they prefer the smaller
carcaSSes. For the cheaper grades, and
there are "a different grades Of beef, ell
healthy and of food value, the COW beef
at a low price, is what they seek.
Seeking Packers Aid.
This style in meat has upset the
educational efforts of Government au-
thorities and live stock experts. who for
years have taught the breeder and
feeder to improve quality and breed End
increase the weight of the animal. The
grower now Is turning to the packers to
aid him In marketing the less fashion,
able but often better quality animals.
At least one big packer will respond
this week in New York by putting on
the market in the higher class grocery
and meat stores packages Of frozen lamb
and pork chops Enclosed within q
glassine wrapper and bearing the name
and guarantee Of quality of the packer.
The packages will hold three chops
each. The refrigeration is done under
the new quick-freeze method, which
does not lower the quality of the meat.
Since the quality is plainly marked, the
purchaser knows just what grade Of the
"a is in the package.
New Cutting Technique.
The preparation of these has entailed
the development of an entirely new
technique of cutting meat. Obviously it
is impossible to cut chops by hand Tor
wholesale distribution, so new ma
chinery has had to be developed. There
is considerable opposition to the move
from the independent retail meat pack
ers, since the cutters, who have been
drawing high wages, feel that the move
may tend to supplant them by woman
clerks If the cutting is already done.