CHAP. XIII. 



ANIMAL FOOD IMPORTS. 



233 



Our imports of live animals for food have been greatly reduced in the 

 last thirty years. In 1890 we imported 642,596 cattle, as compared 

 with 472,015 in 1907. The former quantity was the maximum for any 

 year. Sheep came most numerously in 1882, when the number was 

 1,124,391, and over a million arrived in 1886, and not far short of a 

 million in 1887 ; but in 1907 only the insignificant number of 105,601 

 came to us from foreign and colonial sources. The live pig trade was 

 neTer an important one. The greatest number of pigs imported in any 

 year was 133,280 in 1865, and in recent years sanitary restrictions have 

 shut these animals out altogether. There is no need of them, as the 

 home supply is ample to meet the comparatively small demand for fresh 

 pork, while foreigners find it suits them well to supply our markets with 

 bacon and hams. 



But while our imports of live meat have been greatly reduced, those 

 of dead meat have increased enormously in the last thirty years. In 

 1887 the total of all kinds was only 6,573,866 cwt., whereas in 1907 it 

 was 19,458.098 cwt., showing nearly a three-fold increase. 



A convenient compilation has appeared annually in the " Live Stock 

 Journal " for the last eighteen years, showing not only the imports of 

 live and dead meat, but also those of other kinds of animal food, the 

 corresponding exports, and the values of the imports and exports. 



The tables for 1906 and 1907 are of interest as showing the quantities 

 and values of the several classes of animal food imports, and the 

 estimated dead weights of animals imported alive, while the summaries 

 for eighteen years show in a striking manner the vast increase that has 

 taken place in our supplies of such food from outside sources. 



TWO YEARS' ANIMAL FOOD IMPORTS. 



* Except poultry and game, returned only in value. 



f Fresh milk and cream are not enumerated in the monthly returns. 



