Huhu a go-go, but possum a no-no
Kiwis embrace some meats but are less keen on others.
New Zealand is famous for its meat exports and love of a Sunday roast but there are some meats Kiwis have never taken to. Although some like to dabble in the unusual – crowds flock to events like Hokitika’s famous Wildfoods Festival to down huhu grubs and pigs’ nipples – for many, a venison steak is about as adventurous as dinner is likely to get. But, with a veritable feast of wild and surplus animals on our doorstep, that needn’t be the case. So, what’s our beef with alternative meats?
Veal
The meat from young calves, veal gives even foie gras – the liver of a goose or duck specifically fattened by forcefeeding – a run for its money in the bad reputation stakes.
Although the industry boomed in parts of Europe in the 1980s and 90s, the meat fell out of favour as consumers cottoned on to the cruelty behind it.
Calves raised for traditional white veal were confined in small dark crates and fed a milkbased diet, conditions which resulted in pale, soft meat.
Though not used in New Zealand and illegal in the UK and European Union, veal crates are still a reality in other countries, including the United States.
Rose veal is considered the more ethical option, as the calves are able to range freely and have a diet of both milk and grass.
While popular overseas, veal has never taken off here.
It’s not for a lack of calves. Around 5 million calves are born on New Zealand dairy farms each year.
About 30 per cent of those are raised as replacement dairy cattle and 30 per cent for beef.
The remainder are ‘‘bobby’’ calves, surplus to requirements, and sent to slaughter at around four days old.
The Ministry for Primary Industry (MPI) defines vealers as fattened calves raised for eight to nine months and weighing no more than 160kg.
According to MPI statistics, just over 1.8 million calves were slaughtered in the year to September 2019, with 6501 of those defined as vealers.
The following year 1.9 million calves, including 1730 vealers, were slaughtered.
Rabbit
Farming rabbits for food seems completely counterintuitive in a country where the animals have been a constant headache since their introduction in the 1830s.
According to some estimates, rabbits cost New Zealand over $50 million in lost production, and a further $25m in direct pest control every year.
However, it’s a different story in parts of Europe, Asia and Australia, where rabbit farming is a profitable business.
The industry is predicted to grow by about 10 per cent a year, though expansion to date has been mainly through increases in average farm size rather than more entrants to the industry.
Rabbits reach an average slaughter weight of about 3kg. Their meat is low-fat, lowcholesterol and sells for $4 to $6 per kilogram liveweight.
In New Zealand, some wild rabbit meat is processed for human consumption but only a fraction of the wild rabbits that are killed are used in this way.
Possum
Possums were introduced to New Zealand in 1837 to establish a fur trade. They have since become ‘‘one of the greatest threats to our natural environment’’, according to the Department of Conservation.
Tuberculosis is the main problem cited with eating possum meat though Northland possum skinning expert Carl Cooper said it was easy to identify diseased animals because the glands in their groin and underarm swell into large abscesses.
‘‘[The gland] would be just a straight white line, but if there’s an infection they’d blow up into something as big as a golf ball.’’
Use of the pesticide 1080 for possum control is another concern.
Although the poison could technically be harmful to humans, a large amount of bait would have to be eaten before a person fell ill, according to MPI.
However, the New Zealand Food Safety Authority requires possums intended for human consumption to be supplied live for processing. Other feral animals such as deer and chamois can be shot and the carcasses brought in.
As well as ‘‘substantially reducing the likelihood of poison residues being present’’, supplying live animals also ensures the meat is fresh.
Goat
High-protein, low-fat goat meat appeals to health-conscious meat eaters in many countries.
However, the New Zealand goat industry isn’t in a position to capitalise on the opportunity.
The country’s goat meat supply chain is under-developed, with a small and inconsistent supply.