52 



PRODUCTION 



The general conclusion from the above is that the production of 

 animal foodstuffs in Canada has failed to advance as rapidly as 

 the consumption of the increasing population, since the opening 

 years of the present century. This is further borne out by a study 

 of the figures showing the ratio of cattle, sheep and pigs to the 

 population in the years 1891, 1901 and 1914. 



TABLE SHOWING THE NUMBERS OF CATTLE, SHEEP AND PIGS, AND 



ALSO OF " CATTLE UNITS " PER 100 OF THE POPULATION IN 



CANADA IN VARIOUS YEARS. 



It will be seen that the ratio of live-stock, as a whole, to the 

 population (shown in the last column above) declined notably after 

 1901, and stood in 1914 at a lower level than in 1891. 



For a new country Canada has few sheep in proportion to the 

 population, and still fewer in proportion to the area. Sheep- 

 farming is neglected in Canada, 1 and the above figures show a 

 serious relative decline in sheep which is also absolute. 2 The 

 result has been that in the last few years Canada has imported live 

 sheep and fresh and frozen mutton in considerable quantities. 3 

 As regards cattle, the relative decline since 1901, above shown, has 

 been accentuated as concerns beef-production by the somewhat 

 greater number of milch cows in the later year, though improve- 

 ments in beef-stock, feeding methods, etc., may possibly compensate 

 for this. Pigs alone show a relative and, of course, a much larger 

 absolute increase since 1891, due partly to the extension of dairying 

 and more particularly to the increase in the production of butter 

 at the expense of that of cheese, as noted below. 



The changes in the Canadian dairy industry and trade in dairy 

 produce since the year 1900 require special attention. Although 

 the estimated output of milk increased in the period 1901-14 faster 

 than the population the net surplus of dairy produce for export 

 declined. 



The first step in the process was that the exports of butter 

 dwindled away and this was followed by a decline in the exports 

 of cheese, the milk being used more extensively for the manufacture 



1 According to the Report of the Scottish Agricultural Commission, 1908, 

 the decline in sheep farming is due to : (1) The development of dairying ; 

 (2) poor fencing ; (3) want of knowledge and skill among farmers. The 

 severe climate has also been an unfavourable factor for Canadian sheep-rearing 

 in competition with other countries. 



2 The number of sheep in Canada declined from over 3 millions in 1871 to 

 about 2 millions in 1915. 



3 In the year ended March 31st, 1912, nearly 200,000 sheep and nearly 

 4 million Ibs. of mutton. 



