STATISTICAL INQUIRY 1011 



years. From information kindly furnished me by some of 

 the public passenger carrying companies, we learn that the 

 horses last about 6 to 6i years. The death-rate is between 

 4 per cent, and 5 per cent, per annum. These companies 

 only purchase between the ages of 5 and 7 years. 



The army horse works for about 8 or 9 years, but as he 

 is purchased between 3 and 4 years of age, we get but 

 little more work out of him than public companies get out 

 of their horses, and have to give in return for it about 2 

 years' keep, and run the risks incidental to youth. Before 

 army animals arrive at the mature age of those purchased 

 by big companies, they cost in keep what would buy 

 another horse. 



Some statistics regarding other animals have recently 

 been made available through the labours of a Committee of 

 the Statistical Society, which inquired into the question of 

 the ' Production and Consumption of Meat and Milk.'* 



Cattle. — The mortality among cattle over 1 year old is 

 2-6 per cent, per annum, for calves it is 7"4 per cent. The 

 average mortality among cattle of all ages is taken by the 

 Committee at 4 per cent. The birth-rate is about 90 per 

 cent., while 10 per cent, is the proportion of barrenness. 

 The average milking life of a cow is about 5 years. 



^/jggj).— The mortality for sheep under 1 year old is 

 5-8 per cent., for those 1 year and over it amounts to 

 3-5 per cent. A general death-rate for sheep of all ages is 

 4-25 per cent. The birth-rate is taken by the Committee at 

 112 per cent., viz., as the number of lambs born to 100 ewes. 

 Very much higher results than this have, however, been 

 obtained in individual flocks. 



Pigs.— The mortality is taken at 9 per cent, per annum ; 

 the birth-rate at an average of 11 per sow three times a 



year. 



The economics of food-supply give the healthy pig a very 

 short life; it has been estimated that the average life is 

 about six months. 



* Journal of Boyal Statistical Society, vol. Ixvii., Part III., 1904. 



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