THE WORLD'S MEAT FUTURE 13 



ful supply throughout. The results of the live-stock census 

 taken in 1914 have only recently been published, and reveal 

 a serious reduction as compared with the official ' estimates ' 

 issued from time to time. Cattle were returned at 25,866,763 

 head, and sheep at 43,225,452 head, as against 29,116,625 

 cattle, and 67,211,754 sheep at the previous census taken in 

 1908. These decreases are somewhat disconcerting, but for- 

 tunately the causes which provoked them, viz. the great 

 droughts of 1911, 1912 and 1913 have disappeared ; and the 

 favourable seasons of the past few years appear to have effected 

 a quick recovery in the number and quality of the live-stock 

 of the country, particularly in the case of cattle. This view 

 is borne out by an official census taken in the Province of 

 Buenos Aires (the principal centre of the cattle-raising indus- 

 try) in 1916, which recorded an increase in cattle of nearly 

 25 per cent, the figures being 11,336,513 head in 1916, as 

 against 9,090,536 head in 1914. It is generally reckoned that 

 the number of cattle in the Argentine Republic is now about 

 29,000,000 head, while sheep are estimated to number about 

 55,000,000 head. 



" The operations of the freezing works were limited by the 

 amount of refrigerated tonnage available, and in some cases 

 the work was interfered with by strikes, with the result that 

 the year's shipments of frozen and chilled meat, amounting to 

 377,430 tons, fell short of the previous year's total of 436,400 

 tons by 13-5 per cent. Four-fifths of the exports were sold to 

 the Allied Governments for Army consumption, the remainder 

 being reserved for the civilian trade in the United Kingdom. 



" Pastoral prospects are now brighter than they have been 

 for several years past ; and, apart from any deficiency in re- 

 frigerated tonnage, a much increased export in 1918 should 

 be assured. An export tax, which comes into operation as 

 from 1st January, 1918, introduces a new element of uncer- 

 tainty into the market ; but the tax is likely to be borne by 

 the seller and not by the ultimate buyer, so long as prices are 

 controlled on this side of the world. 



" Uruguay. — The number of cattle in 1916 was estimated at 

 7,802,000, as against 8,192,600 in 1908, while sheep declined 

 from 26,286,000 to about 11,473,000 head. These decreases 



