19*21.] The Fall in Live Stock Prices. 



Diking the past few months there has been a notable fall in 

 the market values of practically all descriptions of live stock. 

 The Fall in decontrol of fat stock at the beginning 



Live Stock Prices. ^""^^'^ ^^^^^^^^^ 



diate and substantial advance in prices, and 



although a reaction set in almost at once, throughout the year 



prices for the better grades of cattle, and for all descriptions 



of sheep, remained considerably higher than those which !iad 



been in force under control. Fat cattle normally decliiu' in 



value between July and October, and 19'20 was no exception to 



this l ule, but the Christmas demand forced prices up to a higher 



point than had been reached at any time previously, and 



although a slight decline set in subsequently, the December 



level of prices was fairly well maintained up to the end of April. 



Fat sheep showed a steady advance in price, after the first 



violent fluctuations succeeding decontrol; this advance was 



checked in December, probably owing to the Christmas demand 



for beef in preference to mutton, but trade in the best quality 



fat sheep recovered during January, although th^. lower grades 



continued the slight downward movement commenced at the 



vnd of November. During the first four months of 1921 fat 



sheep steadily declined in value, the decline being no doubt 



•lue in some measure to the continuous fall in the market value 



•of wool. 



Table I shows the average market prices of fat cattle and 

 sheep under control and during January and April of this y«"ar. 



Table L 



Averaqe Market Prices of Fat Cattte and Sheep in certain mojiths 

 of Ifh^O awJ V.)21. 





J line, 



1920. 



January 



1921. 



April, 1921. 



Fat Cattle (per live ewt.) — 



s. 



(1. 



s. 



.1. 



s. .1. 



1st (,)iiality 



9.5 







105 



9 



104 9 



3rd (Quality 



85 







85 







82 9 



Fat Cows 



90 







93 



3 



90 9 



Fat Sfw.^p (per 11..)— 













1st duality 



1 





2 



'It 



2 Olt 



.3nl (Quality 



1 



<">.',* 



1 





1 T 



Shorn. t In wool. 



Since the beginning of May the decline has been nuich more 

 rapid and became accelerated during July, although a slight re- 

 ■covery has been noticeable during recent weeks. Table II 

 shows the avei-:ige maiket prices of fat cattle and sheep duiing 

 the fiftei n weeks up to the week ending August 17th. 



