415 



LIVE WEIGHT PRICES OF CATTLE. 



The returns received from the twenty-one places in Great 

 Britain scheduled under the Markets and Fairs (Weighing of 

 Cattle) Act, 1891, showed that 271,900 cattle and 1,444,897 

 sheep were exposed for sale in the third quarter of 1903, as. 

 compared with 293,293 cattle and 1,524,749 sheep in the cor- 

 responding period of 1902. In the case of pigs there was a 

 considerable increase, the number entering the markets during 

 the three months being 102,163, as against 80,323 last year. 



Animals. 



3rd 

 Quarter, 

 1903. 



3rd 

 Quarter, 

 1902. 



Cattle : 



Entering markets 

 Weighed 

 Prices returned 



Prices returned with quality distinguished ... 



No. 



271,900 



42,437 

 34,229 

 28,311 



No. 



293,293 

 42,140 



33,i7i 

 27,012 



Sheep : 



Entering markets 

 Weighed 



Prices returned with quality distinguished ... 



1,444,897 

 7,402 

 6,192 



1,524,749 

 10,305 

 8,466 



Swine : 



Entering markets 

 Weighed 



Prices returned with quality distinguished ... 



102,163 

 865 

 863 



80,323 

 618 

 618 



The proportion of cattle returned as weighed during the 

 quarter was distinctly higher than in the corresponding period 

 of last year. At the whole of the markets 15*6 per cent, of the 

 number entering were returned as weighed, as compared with 

 14*4 per cent., while in the English markets alone the propor- 

 tion was 9*5 per cent, and in the Scottish markets 39*4 per cent., 

 as against 8*9 and 34*7 per cent, respectively in the third quarter 

 of 1902. 



