UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 



As regards live-stock the United States is not by any means 

 as spent as it was generally supposed to be. It is nearly ten 

 years since the world was infoimed that the internal demand 

 had overtaken the supply, and that the United States would 

 have to look to Argentina for beef and Australia for mutton 

 with which to feed her own people. What do we see now ? 

 The number of cattle marketed daring 1917 was 12,278,000 in 

 the nine principal markets — it was the largest in the history 

 of the country, but, in spite of this, there were more cattle on 

 the farms at the end of the year than at the commencement. 

 The exports of fresh beef from the United States increased 

 from 6,400,000 lbs. in 1914 to 231,000,000 lbs. in 1916. The 

 exports of bacon in the same period increased from 194,000,000 

 lbs. to 667,000,000 lbs. The total weight of all beef products 

 exported from the United States in 1917 was 411,000,000 lbs. 

 The weight of pork products was 1500 million lbs. The 

 average amount per head received for beef carcases and by- 

 products was £19/7/6. Of this sum, £17/11/7 was paid to the 

 grower, 10/8 for killing, dressing, etc., 9 7 for freight, 10/3 

 foi selling expenses, and 5/5 represented profit. Frozen meat 

 in storage on July 1st, 1918, increased 49-3 per cent, and frozen 

 pork increased 71-37, as compared with 1917. These remark- 

 able figures show what American stockmen can and will do 

 when called upon in some emergency. The stock-breeder in 

 the United States is not likely to be handicapped by the Govern- 

 ment fixing a maximum price for meat. In fixing a price for 

 fat cattle, should such a thing have to occur, a minimum 

 price should be guaranteed, and the cost of rearing and fat- 

 tening, of course, taken into account at the time. 



To the ordinary mind " price control " carries with it the 

 idea of keeping prices down, while, as a matter of fact, it is 



159 



