THE WORLD'S MEAT FUTURE 7 



ported fresh meat, attempts were made to export cattle on the 

 hoof. These, however, proved unsuccessful owing to the out- 

 break of foot-and-mouth disease and the extra expense entailed. 

 Then the meat-packing and, indirectly, the stock-raising in- 

 dustries were revolutionised by the introduction of refrigera- 

 tion. This made possible the shipping of frozen and chilled 

 meat. Chilled meat has a much more delicate flavour than the 

 solidly frozen meat, and normally brings 1| to 2\ pence a 

 pound more on the English market, but it must be used im- 

 mediately after removing from cold storage. 



Argentina is to-day the most important beef-producing 

 country of the world. Brazil is beginning to appreciate its 

 own potentialities as a meat producer, and is likely to become 

 a powerful rival in the near future. Uruguay has maintained 

 a leading position, while Paraguay, Colombia, and Venezuela 

 are among the countries that are receiving careful considera- 

 tion from far-sighted American and English packers. 



The meat-packing industry of Argentina has been spared the 

 hardships incidental to the experimental stages of a new under- 

 taking. Its market was already created ; finely bred cattle 

 were available in Europe and the United States ; it had but 

 to model its packing houses along well-established lines. It 

 was not until 1901, when the exports from the United States 

 began to decline materially, that exports of Argentine beef 

 began to assume importance ; but since then the increase 

 has been steady and rapid. Australia and New Zealand, with 

 a well-established trade in frozen mutton, largely supplied the 

 markets for this product. In the beginning Argentina paid 

 but little attention to the raising of hogs, so that the export 

 of pork was of relatively little importance. During the period 

 of 1908 to 1914 a decided change took place. The number of 

 hogs in Argentina in 1914 represented an increase of 1,496,994 

 over the number in 1908, while cattle and sheep showed a 

 corresponding decrease. This would seem to indicate that 

 special attention is being paid to the pork-packing branch of 

 the industry. Another indication of the future tendency is 

 the fact that the Armour company in Buenos Aires has equipped 

 its new plant with facilities for handling 1000 hogs, in addition 

 to the 1500 cattle and 2500 sheep, per day. 



