1909.] Live and Dead Meat Trade in August. 513 



THE LIVE AND DEAD MEAT TRADE IN AUGUST. 

 A. T. Matthews. 



Fat Cattle. — The month began with a Bank Holiday market at 

 Islington on the 2nd, when there was a larger supply than the week 

 before by about 60 head. As usual on such occasions, there was a 

 meagre attendance of buyers and business was slow, but still all were 

 sold without any quotable reduction in prices. The trade in the country 

 markets was also firm during - the ensuing week, and the average for 

 Shorthorn bullocks of first and second quality was precisely the same 

 as that of the last week of July, viz., 8s. $%d. and 75. j\d. per 14 lb. 

 stone. The other breeds are quoted in far smaller numbers, but the 

 Herefords, the relative condition of which was much better than 

 that of the Shorthorns, advanced nearly id. for first quality. The highest 

 markets were Ipswich, Ashford, Basingstoke, Newcastle, and Preston, 

 at each of which first quality Shorthorns were quoted at 8s. gd., while 

 Bristol was again the lowest at 8s. id. A great change in the weather 

 set in suddenly about August 3rd, and the trade in the second and 

 third weeks was much affected by the great heat, which caused serious 

 losses to butchers and retailers. In the week ending the 12th, no fewer 

 than 26 out of 37 leading markets were described as being more or 

 less cheaper, and in 23 markets quoting Shorthorns, the general average 

 declined to 8s. 35^. for first and 75. 5^. for second quality, being a fall 

 of i\d. and 2.\d. per 14 lb. dead weight. The averages of other breeds 

 for first and second quality were : — Herefords, 8s. $d. and ys. $%d. 

 Devons, 8s. y\d. and ys. lo^d. ; Welsh Runts, 85. 3^. and 75. 6d. ; 

 Polled Scots, 8s. j'id. and 85. 3!^. Only three markets quoted Short- 

 horns as high as jhd. per lb. in the second week. Although the hot 

 spell broke up on Monday, the 16th, its effects were visible in the 

 trade for the whole of the third week. There was a better trade at 

 Hull, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Inverness, and Dundee, but all other 

 markets were either lower or unchanged in value. The English markets 

 averaged a further decline of i^d. per stone for first quality Shorthorns, 

 but, curiously enough, the second quality average was quite unchanged. 

 This unusual feature may be accounted for by the preference given 

 to leaner beef during hot weather. Another peculiarity of that week's 

 trading was the fact that while Herefords maintained their previous 

 value of 8s. $d. for first, their second quality advanced id. per stone. 

 Devons gave way 2d. for both first and second quality. The fall in 

 Welsh Runts was i\d. on first and i\d. on second quality, and that in 

 Scots was even more singular, being no less than ^d. for first but 

 only \d. on second quality. 



The inference which it seems fair to draw from these figures is that 

 very fat cattle lose in relative value in hot weather, but with regard to 

 comparisons between breeds it should be remembered that the Shorthorn 

 quotations are the most reliable guide to market movements, as they 

 are so much more generally quoted. No market was quoted higher 

 than 8s. 6d. per stone for this breed in the third week. 



In the fourth week the markets were steadier in tone and the mean 

 value of Shorthorns was well maintained, with very little change in 

 that of other breeds, especially when the condition of so large a pro- 

 portion of the animals on offer is taken into account. At the end of the 



