516 Live and Dead Meat Trade in August, [sept., 



THE LIVE AND DEAD MEAT TRADE IN AUGUST. 

 A. T. Matthews. 



Fat Cattle. — The markets generally have continued to be well 

 supplied with fat cattle, though, as the season advances, there is the 

 usual falling off in the proportion of those that can be described as 

 of finest quality. This was more particularly the case at Islington, 

 where, on the second Monday in the month, there were really no first- 

 class Shorthorns offered. Herefords have come out well, both at 

 that market and other markets where they are usually present. Their 

 average prices have therefore been relatively high, but towards the 

 close of the month there was a falling off in their condition and average 

 price, while the Devons, which did moderately at first, in the fourth 

 week surpassed the average of the Herefords. Welsh Runts have, so 

 far, been sparingly offered, but their season comes nearer the close of 

 the grazing time. 



The average price of Shorthorns in about twenty English markets 

 was 8s. io^d. per stone, which was a decline of 2d. per stone on the 

 July average. Second quality averaged ys. n^d., also a decline of 2d., 

 and cows and bulls 6s. n^d., a decline of if<i. per stone. Herefords 

 averaged gs. id. and Ss. qd. for first and second quality respectively, 

 against gs. $d. and 8s. yd. per stone in July. Devons averaged 

 gs. id. and Ss. per stone against gs. 2d. and 85. o^d. in July. 

 Prices generally declined very gradually, but at the end of the month 

 there appeared to be a firmer tendency. Such a decline as there was 

 may be more than accounted for by the falling off in the condition of 

 the animals, and the consequent loss to the butcher on the value of 

 the offal. 



Veal Calves. — The calf trade was fairly good, and with fewer calves 

 on offer as the month advanced, prices stood at gd. per lb. at a few 

 markets. The average value for the month, however, in twenty-six 

 markets of Great Britain, remained exactly the same as in July, viz., 

 S^d. and y\d. for first and second quality respectively. 



Fat Sheep. — The trade in fat sheep appears to have settled down 

 to a singular steadiness in values which are very moderate in char- 

 acter. They are, in fact, just about half-way between those ruling 

 before the collapse which took place about 2\ years ago, and those 

 which followed for many months while the depression existed. Second 

 quality sheep are now realising as much as the very best were worth 

 during a large portion of 1909, while really choice sheep are fetching 

 fully id. per lb. more. Prime quality so long made gd. per lb. 

 that Sd. seems a low price, while it is in reality a medium one. The 

 averages for the month of August are very similar to those of July. 



In seventeen of the most important English markets prime small 

 Downs fetched a fraction over Sd. per lb., against S\d. in the previous j 

 month. Second quality (of which the larger portion of the supply is 

 now composed) realised yd., and fat ewes 5fd. per lb. Prime Long- j 

 wools made *j\d., the same as in July, while second quality averaged j 

 6fd. (an advance of \d.), and third quality $\d. per lb. 



Fat Lambs. — Although the season for lamb is rapidly drawing to 



