3io 



Live Weight Prices of Cattle. 



[AUG., 



Owing to the rapid rise, the prices ruling in June, 1904, both 

 for first and second quality, were decidedly above the quotations 

 at the same date in 1903, whereas, at the commencement of 

 the year, the reverse was the case. Prices, however, have not 

 reached the high level that they attained two years ago. 



Table I. — Average Price of Fat Cattle ( Weighed and Priced 

 ivith Distinction of Quality) at the Twenty-one Markets. 



Month. 



Prime or First Quality. 



Good or Second Quality. 



1904. 



1903. 



1904. 



1903. 





Per cwt. 



Per cwt. 



Per cwt. 



Per cwt. 





s. d. 



s. d. 



s. d. 



s. d. 



January 



35 2 



37 8 



32 10 



36 2 



February 



34 8 



37 0 



32 2 



35 0 



March 



34 6 



37 0 



32 0 



35 4 



April 



34 10 



37 2 



32 6 



35 2 



May 



35 6 



36 8 



33 4 



34 6 



June 



38 4 



36 8 



36 6 



34 10 



In Table IV. are given particulars of the average prices, 

 during six months, of cattle at those thirteen markets where the 

 statistics are sufficient to allow of a reliable average being 

 struck. From this table it will be seen that the average price oi 

 prime or first quality was highest (36s. iod. per cwt.) in London 

 and lowest (33s. 2d. per cwt.) at Leicester. For second quality, 

 Leicester also recorded the lowest price (26s. iod.) but the highest 

 quotations for this grade were reported from Glasgow (34s. 8d.) 

 and Edinburgh (34s. 4d.). 



Of cattle sold at an agreed price per stone or per cwt. live 

 weight there were 5,472, more than half these transactions 

 taking place at Glasgow. 



Shrewsbury continues to be practically the only one of the 

 scheduled markets where store cattle are reported to have been 

 weighed, the number at this town amounting in the six months 

 to 8,644 head. The average prices realised for the 8,144 weighed 

 stores which were priced at Shrewsbury were 35s. iod., 33s., and 

 30s. per cwt., for first, second, and third quality respectively. 



