970 Live and Dead Meat Trade in January. [ feb -> 



Under the present conditions any general improvement in the condition 

 and quality was out of the question, and large numbers of tegs have 

 been coming forward for forced sale, which, in ordinary seasons, would 

 not be sold till March and April. Consequently they are only half 

 fattened, and fetch very poor prices per head. It is highly probable 

 that, such being the case, the values per lb. have been under-estimated, 

 and butchers have complained very much of disappointment at results 

 when sheep have come to be weighed. We are thus mortgaging our 

 future supplies, and a serious shortage is looked for in the spring. 

 The January averages for Downs in about twenty English markets 

 were 8|d., y\d.\ and 5fd. for the three qualities, and y\d., 6^d., and $d. 

 for Longwools. This was an improvement of about \d. on the 

 December prices. A falling off of about 2,000 head in the Islington 

 supplies on the fourth Monday caused a sharp advance in prices, 

 and some of the choicer pens realised as much as gd. per lb. Looking 

 back to the summer prices of last year, it will be found that sheep 

 are now about id. per lb. dearer than at the lowest point. 



Fat Pigs. — After many months of continuous decline, bacon pigs 

 showed a small recovery, averaging in about thirty British markets 

 6s. 3d. per 14 lb. for prime small, and 55. Sd. for larger pigs. Sup- 

 plies at some markets show signs of falling off. 



Carcass Beef — British. — In the first week fresh-killed beef was 

 dearer than at Christmas in the London markets, and whole sides 

 of Scotch made up to yd. per lb., while English fetched 6ftZ. The 

 latter was of better quality, relatively, than is often the case at Smith- 

 field. Both met a good, steady trade throughout, but the average 

 prices differed little from those of December. These were y\d. and yd. 

 per lb. for short, and €>\d. and 6fd. for long sides of Scotch, and 

 6\d. and 6d. for English of first and second quality. 



Port-Killed Beef. — Deptford-killed American has again sold well, 

 and has realised in the Central Market exactly the same as English. 



Chilled Beef. — North American chilled was again conspicuous by 

 its absence, and Argentine supplies were comparatively moderate. 

 Trade was therefore steady, and prices ruled rather higher than in 

 December, the averages being, for hindquarters, 3s. 6d. per 8 lb. 

 for first, and 35. for second quality. Forequarters also advanced 

 and realised 2s. 4<2. and 2s. per stone. 



Frozen Beef. — This class of beef was quietly dealt in, the demand 

 being steady. Its value, however, like that of all other descriptions 

 of beef, tended upwards. Hindquarters averaged 2s. yd. per stone 

 for first, and 2s. 5<3. for second quality, and forequarters 2s. and 

 is. lod. 



Carcass Mutton — Fresh-Killed. — The trade in British and Dutch 

 mutton has been singularly lifeless, and prices for home-grown have 

 been relatively lower at the dead-meat market than for live sheep at 

 Islington. Scotch sold slowly, and averages were lower than in 

 December. The highest price for small tegs was 45. 6d. per stone, 

 or 6fd. per lb., and the averages for the month 45. 5 J. and 45. per stone 

 for first and second quality. English made 3s. Sd. to 4s., and Dutch 

 35. yd. to 45. A little lamb has sold at lod. to nd. per lb. 



Frozen Mutton and Lamb. — New Zealand mutton sold steadily at 

 2s. 6d. to 2>s. per 8 lb., and Argentine and Australian at 2s. 2d. to 



