1909.] The Live and Dead Meat Trade. 



7S 



hampton and York were lower. At six markets *]\d. per lb. was 

 obtained for Shorthorns, and the average values would probably have 

 been higher had it not been that in many markets there was a large 

 supply of cattle in unfinished condition, owing, it was said, to the 

 shortness of roots. 



In the third week the decreasing proportion of prime, well-finished 

 cattle was more perceptible, the supply of stall-feds falling short in 

 many places. This was not the case at Islington on the 15th, where 

 the show of polled Shorthorns from the eastern counties was well 

 up to the usual mark. On that day nearly 1,200 cattle were exposed, 

 and the general quality was excellent. So well-finished are most of 

 these Norfolk cattle that many of them, when slaughtered, show a 

 very large increase when their live and dead weight are compared. 

 It is certain that many animals which have cost the buyer 40s. per 

 cwt. according to the weighbridge, have died so well that they have 

 only cost him yd. per lb., with the offal given in. It is well that 

 readers should take note of the wide difference that exists in this 

 respect between such animals as are now coming from the Norfolk 

 yards and the grass-fed beasts seen at Islington in the summer and 

 autumn. Then the majority show no increase at all, and the weigh- 

 bridge results in 14 lb. stones live weight are just about equal to 

 8 lb. dead. This fully accounts for the very low quotations at 

 Islington Market for so many weeks last autumn, compared with 

 others such as Ipswich, where there were continuous supplies of cattle 

 liberally fed with concentrated foods. 



The large supply on the 15th resulted in a decline of the top 

 quotation to j^d. per lb., but the average trade of the country showed 

 little alteration. An advance of about \d. per lb. took place at 

 Ipswich, Lincoln, and Shrewsbury in the third week, but Hull, 

 Leicester, Norwich, Nottingham, and Peterborough showed" a corre- 

 sponding decline. 



As the end of the month approached, in spite of supplies remaining 

 much the same and the maintenance of fair average quality, a 

 weakening in the demand became distinctly visible, and though reduc- 

 tions in value were far from serious, the balance of the last whole 

 week was against sellers. Taking twenty-one English markets which 

 officially reported the value of first quality Shorthorns, the average 

 price worked out at Ss. old. per 14 lb. stone, against Ss. i\d. for 

 twenty-four markets in the previous week. The highest price of the 

 week was 85. 5^. at Ashford and Dorchester, and the lowest 75. 6d. 

 at Hull. 



The last market at Islington sounded a more cheerful note. There 

 was a moderate supply of 980 head, and the quality was well main- 

 tained. The early morning brought a strong contingent of buyers 

 from the Central market. Prices advanced, and the ground lost the 

 previous week was easily recovered. 



Fat Sheep. — The depression in the sheep trade has continued, and 

 the hopes of farmers that the new year would witness an improvement 

 have, so far, been disappointed. There is now no doubt whatever 

 that the winter feeding season has been disastrous, and that current 

 prices leave very little or no margin to cover the cost of food and 

 labour. 



