570 



Transactions. 



Retail Cuts. 



On the day following a carcase of mutton weighing 55 lb., and a carcase 

 of lamb weighing 35 lb. (cold weights), were selected from the twenty carcases 

 from the slaughter test for the purpose of the main investigation. These 

 carcases were split, and the left half of each, weighing 281b. and 181b. 

 respectively, were cut into the joints usually offered for sale in the retail 

 shops. In addition each cut was separated into lean meat, visible fat, 

 and bone. In order to compare the various cuts as to their relative amounts 

 of lean, fat, and bone the weights have been calculated to percentages. 

 These figures, which represent the untrimmed cuts, are shown in Table II. 



Table II. — Weights and Percentages of Lean Meat, Visible Fat, and Bone in 



the Retail Cuts. 



Relative Cost of the Retail Cuts. 

 Throughout New Zealand the prices of the various cuts differ consider- 

 ably, and are liable to frequent fluctuation, so that absolute figures for the 

 market retail price of the cuts would serve little purpose. It has been 

 found, however, that by taking the cheapest cut as 1 the retail market 

 prices bear relation to one another as follows : — 



Mutton — Neck and breast . . .. .. ..1-00 



,, Shoulder 



Lamb — Fore quarter 

 Mutton — Leg 



„ Loin 



Lamb — Leg 

 Loin 



1-5C 

 1-67 

 1-83 

 2-00 

 2-17 

 2-17 



Thus, with the price of neck and breast of mutton at 3d. per pound, the 

 other cuts in the above order will be 4|d., 5d., 5|d., 6d., 6|d., and 6|d. per 

 pound. 



The Chemical Composition of the Boneless Meats. 



The right half of the carcases used in the previous determinations was 

 sampled for chemical analysis, the total boneless meat (lean and fat) of 

 each cut being used for this purpose. 



Moisture.— The moisture found in the various cuts ranged from 57-92 per 

 cent, in the leg cut of the lamb to 40-12 per cent, in the loin cut of the same 

 carcase ; in general, the higher percentage of fat is found associated with 

 the lower moisture-content. 



