i9 io.] Live and Dead Meat Trade in March. 75 



now and again id. or 2d. per cwt. lower than February. Rye has fallen 

 15., and at 265. per 480 lb. is a useful feeding stuff. 



THE LIVE AND DEAD MEAT TRADE IN 

 MARCH. 



A. T. Matthews. 



Fat Cattle. — The cattle trade in March was of a singularly even 

 character. Supplies were generally good and of fully average quality. 

 Not only have the variations in the average prices been small from 

 week to week, but if we except about four or five markets the quotations 

 from all parts of the country only varied about |<i. per lb. A careful 

 examination shows that first quality Shorthorns have realised almost 

 exactly the same price as they did during February. The average 

 of this class of cattle in March was about 85. 3^. per 14 lb. stone, and 

 for second quality, 75. j\d. Herefords averaged about id. more, while 

 Devons exceeded the latter by a similar amount. Prices in London 

 were fully i\d. per stone above the general average for best Shorthorns, 

 owing to the excellent supplies of Norfolk-fed Shorthorns of moderate 

 weights and good finish. Looking back to the corresponding Metro- 

 politan market last year, we find that these cattle were fetching 

 exactly the same price as they are to-day, viz., Ss. $d. per stone. On 

 the same days in 1908 and 1907 the price was js. yd. and 75. lod. 

 respectively, and in 1906, 75. yd. Taking recent years for comparison, 

 we may therefore consider present prices fairly satisfactory to the feeder. 



Veal Calves. — The trade in fat calves was very steady at full prices, 

 the general average in twenty-three British markets being q\d. per lb. 

 for first, and S^d. for second quality. Local demand varies greatly 

 for veal, as well as the supply, and during March there was often a 

 difference of 2d. per lb. between the highest and lowest English markets. 

 In the week ending March 17th, while prime calves were fetching 103d. 

 per lb. at Leicester and Derby, they were only worth 8|d. at Ipswich. 



Fat Sheep. — The extraordinary advance in sheep values was 

 continued, and culminated in the attainment of the highest levels of 

 recent years. One remarkable feature of the upward movement was its 

 gradual and steady character. There were cases in which a rise of 

 f d. per lb. occurred from one market to the next, but, broadly speaking, 

 prices have crept up, week by week, a farthing at a time. In the third 

 week the general average for prime small Down tegs in seventeen 

 English markets reached c$\d. per lb, and that for second quality, S^d. 

 Two of the cheapest markets in that week were Ipswich and Norwich, 

 where the top price was 8%d., which was rather curious seeing that 

 those places are supplied with Suffolk Downs, one of our very finest 

 breeds of butcher's sheep. Hereford certainly was quoted no higher, 

 but at Salford Downs were worth io%d., and at about eight other 

 markets, g^d. Longwools have fully shared in the return of prosperity, 

 and tegs have averaged, in about fourteen markets, 8§d. and gd. per lb. 

 Ewes have fetched 6%d. and 6^d. per lb., a rise of 2d. per lb. from the 



