884 



The Live and Dead Meat Trade. 



[FEB., 



THE LIVE AND DEAD MEAT TRADE IN JANUARY. 

 A. T. Matthews. 



Fat Cattle.— The new year opened with very moderate supplies of 

 fat cattle, and a healthy demand for all of fairly good quality, few 

 complaints being" now heard of want of condition. At Islington, 

 however, the number (1,230) present was considerably above the 

 average, business was brisk, and the market on the 4th was cleared by 

 an early hour at fully the prices of the last December market. 

 Shorthorns are now once again the most numerously represented breed, 

 it being only during the grass time that the Herefords and Welsh Runts 

 are seen in large numbers at the London market. The few of these 

 which appear after Christmas are generally poorly finished, and so 

 compare badly with the thoroughly well-fed Shorthorns from the 

 Norfolk stalls and yards. This is mentioned to explain why, at this 

 period, the quotations for the former breeds are relatively low. On 

 this first market of the year, Shorthorns realised up to y\d. per lb., 

 against yd. for Herefords, 6|J. for Welsh, and y%d. for Scots and 

 Devons. The average price of 63 animals of various breeds, weighed 

 after sale, was 37s. per live cwt. Trade on the following Monday, 

 nth January, was much weaker, and prices receded Jd. per lb., 

 partly owing to a much larger supply, but more to the absence of 

 buyers for the dead meat market. These, however, reappeared on 

 the 18th, and, with 400 less on offer, there was a sharp recovery, and 

 all the cattle were soon sold at the extreme rates of the previous week, 

 and in some cases more money. 



The trade in the large provincial centres was very firm during 

 the first week, but, like that of London, was followed in the second by 

 a period of reaction and some weakening of values. Still, the undertone 

 was good, and small concessions led to ready transactions. The 

 following week was marked by good supplies in most places and a brisk 

 trade almost everywhere, except in Scotland. In London, Scots and 

 Devons made up to yhd. per lb., and Shorthorns nearly or quite as 

 much. These last were quoted at 8s. $d. per 14-lb. stone at Islington, 

 8s. 6d. at Ipswich, Norwich, and Nottingham, and 8s. gd, at Basing- 

 stoke, while ys. lod. was the highest at Bristol, Leeds, and Salford. 

 On the other hand, more than half the Scotch markets recorded a 

 decline. The last London market of the month was supplied with 

 1,070 head of cattle of good and even quality. The trade at this market 

 is greatly influenced by the attendance of buyers for the dead meat 

 trade. When their requirements are such as to induce them to be 

 present, trade is always greatly stimulated, but this only happens 

 occasionally. They were there in force on the 25th, and, needless 

 to say, under these circumstances, all the best animals were quickly 

 sold at the extreme rates of the previous week, though there was no 

 actual advance, at least in nominal quotations. The whole month was 

 characterised by a firm and steady trade for cattle, the moderate supplies 

 being readily absorbed at very fair prices. 



Fat Sheep. — The first week in January has been always considered 

 a good time for marketing sheep, as the consuming public are then 

 supposed to have been satiated with Christmas beef. It has, indeed, 



