THE ELABORATING COMMERCIAL COUNTRIES 125 



no exception to other European countries in the decline in the ratio 

 of sheep to the population in recent years. As in most of these 

 countries, the decline, in sheep in Ireland has been not only relative 

 to the population, but also absolute. 



The increase in the ratios of " cattle units " to the population 

 has naturally led to an increase in the exported surplus of animal 

 foodstuffs. 1 The most considerable item among the Irish exports 

 of animal foodstuffs consists of live animals, other less important 

 items being butter, bacon and eggs. Of the live animals exported, 

 cattle have much the greatest value, and of these about 50% on 

 an average are fat cattle ready for slaughter ; of the sheep exported 

 about the same proportion are lambs, while the pigs are practically 

 all fat heavy-weights. The following table shows the numbers 

 and values, as well as the total values of the food animals exported 

 from Ireland in 1905 and in 1913. 



EXPORTS OF LIVE FOOD ANIMALS FROM IRELAND. 



A detailed examination of the import and export trade figures for 

 Ireland in 1913 shows that the total exports of animal foodstuffs 

 (including live meat animals) amounted in value to 30-5 million, 

 while the corresponding imports were valued at 3-7 million, of 

 which frozen meat accounted for the greater part ; so that there 

 was a balance of net exports valued at 26-8 million. When, how- 

 evei, the trade in cereals and feedstuffs is considered, it is found 

 that the total imports under this head, amounting to 12-3 million, 

 exceeded the exports (in value 0-84 million) by almost 11 J 

 million. Of the total net imports of cereals and feedstuffs valued 

 at about 11| million, not less than 6 million would be accounted 

 for by materials used as feedstuffs for food animals. By subtract- 

 ing imports from exports tables it will be seen that the value of 

 the balance of net exports of the principal items of foodstuffs 

 amounted in 1913 to over 15 million, while when animal indus- 



1 Generally speaking, an increase in the ratios of " cattle units " to the 

 population in a given period in a surplus-producing country results in a greater 

 corresponding increase in the exports of animal foodstuffs, owing to the in- 

 creased productiveness of animals per unit, which has been fairly general in 

 recent years. If, however, the local per capita consumption of animal food- 

 stuffs increases in the interval, exports are reduced and this difference may 

 disappear. 



