Consumer appreciation of meat from calves slaughtered between one and twenty two weeks of age.

A study undertaken by McKinna (1984) on consumer attitudes to red meat recommended that special attention should be given to developing the market for veal. Veal was perceived to be versatile, interesting, tasty and easy to prepare. It is low in total lipids and saturated fats (Sinclair 1973) and thus is attractive to consumers wishing to reduce total fat intake from'meat. . However, the supply of veal does not meet the demand for the product all year around. During 1983, a survey of 92 wholesale and retail butchers in Melbourne showed that veal carcasses of 51-.70 kg were most in demand, whereas carcasses up to 40 kg made up the bulk of the supply (Bailey, personal communication).