3 88 



United States Meat Industry. 



from reports furnished by Mr. O'Beirne, of H.M. Legation at 

 Washington, to the Foreign Office. It will, therefore, be of 

 interest at the present time to give some later information on 

 this subject from a report on the meat industry of that country, 

 viewed in the light of the results of the recent census of 

 domestic animals* in the United States, which has just been 

 sent to the Foreign Office by Mr. Erskine, Acting British Consul 

 at Chicago. 



The present supply of beef cattle is estimated at some 

 27,610,000, while in 1892, when the highest point was reached, 

 they numbered some 37,651,000, since which date they have 

 steadily declined. 



The census figures give the supply of all cattle in the States 

 as 69,439,000, of which number nearly 30,000,000 were dairy or 

 other cows, over 12,000,000 beef steers, 7,000,000 heifers, and 

 over 15,000,000 calves. These figures seem to show that the 

 average increase is about 15,000,000 a year. 



About 1,500,000 beef steers are killed at the age of two, 

 2,000,000 between two and three, and about 3,000,000 are left 

 over that age. Over 1,000,000 calves are slaughtered annually, 

 and only about half of these are killed in the regular large 

 slaughter-houses, the others being killed by small butchers or 

 farmers, and often sent to commission agents in the cities for 

 sale. 



Among the sheep the majority that come to the market are 

 lambs, and it is found most profitable to force the lambs by 

 heavy feeding, and dispose of them early. 



It is a very great question if the supply from the ranges can 

 he increased in the future. Many of the ranges have been 

 .over-stocked, have suffered from drought or from fire until 

 the native grasses are nearly extinct, and as yet no grasses 

 have been found to satis r actorily replace them. The cattlemen 

 are complaining of the encroachments of the sheepmen on 

 the public ranges which they have long used ; and in Wyoming, 

 which a few years ago was entirely a cattle State, there 

 are now under 700,000 cattle and over 5,000,000 sheep. The 

 sheep move in large flocks and eat the grass so close that 



* Journal, Vol. IX., June, 1902, p. 56. 



