THE WORLDS MEAT FUTURE 



sheep, qoI necessarily introduced breeds, but better conformed 

 types of the fat-tailed breeds, if farmers would not try to keep 

 nunc sheep than they can feed properly. 



The Australian on leave is familiar with the scavenger sheep 

 of the market-places and town streets. This lucky sheep is 

 made the pet of the children ; he has the run of some filthy 

 domicile, and under such contentment grows big and fat in a 

 very short time. 



I know of no more picturesque scene, typically Egyptian, 

 and representing the very essence of rural simplicity, than 

 that of a huge water buffalo browsing in clover and supporting 

 (forgetful of his presence) a half-nude native child lying full 

 out on the buffalo's back, on guard over the little flock, too 

 contented to move for an hour. 



Prospects 



Stock-raising countries are faced with the fact that flocks 

 and herds of the world in general are decreasing, whereas the 

 demand for wool and meat is ever growing. Egypt is not a 

 big meat-eating country ; mutton and beef are rather the 

 foods of its very rich folk. The number of sheep annually 

 slaughtered at the Cairo abattoirs averages about 270,000, 

 and this figure represents 82 per cent of the total number of 

 all animals treated there. The big meat-eating white popula- 

 tions of Europe are at Egypt's doors, and the great quantities 

 of fodder which could be produced on the irrigation blocks of 

 this wonderfully fertile Nile valley suggest almost convinc- 

 ingly that lamb-raising and mutton-raising would be payable 

 propositions. Let us look into existing conditions. Apart 

 from the smallness of the recognised living area, another draw- 

 back is that there is no grazing country or even open spaces 

 adjacent to each irrigation block where sheep could be yarded 

 and hand -fed. It is all or nothing here. It would be absolutely 

 essential to tax the growing capacity of the land to its utmost, 

 and to plant only the most suitable fodder crops in season. 

 This would mean doing away altogether with the cotton crop 

 and the sugar-cane crops, the two staple crops of Egypt. 



Then, again, the native breeds of sheep are unsuitable for 



