292 



EXPORTS OF BRITISH CATTLE IN 1894. [March 1895. 



VII.— EXPORTS OF BRITISH CATTLE IN 1894. 



An export trade in liigh-class breeding stock to distant 

 countries has always been a feature of British agriculture, 

 testifsi g to the appreciati >n of our animals by the agricul- 

 turist > of other countries. There is more novelty in the apparent 

 growth of sales of store, half-fat, or finished beef cattle to 

 replenish the ordinary food su})ply of European countries. In a 

 year in which it has been observed that the total of our yearly 

 export trade in horses fell distinctly below the level of recent 

 seasons, so far as value is concerned, the trade accounts for 

 1894 i idicate that a tioteworthy increase was visible in the 

 exports of British cattle, especially to our nearest European 

 neighbours. 



The customary exports of cattle from the United Kingdom do 

 not, it is true, reach any considerable total, but they have risen 

 in number and in aggregate value in each of the past five years, 

 as under : — 



Years. 



Number. 



Value. 



1890 . - - . 

 1^91 „ . - 



1892 ... - 



1893 - - - 



1894 - - - - 



1,245 

 1,402 

 2,403 

 3,109 

 8,281 



£ 



49,655 

 41,034 

 55,475 

 65,47 7 

 135,317 



The doubling of the export trade between 1890 and 1892 

 occasioned little remark, as the addition only replaced the figures 

 at abnut the level occupied in 1888, although the character of 

 the trade was changed and the value per head fell from 40?. to 

 2Sl. All through the year 1893, however, a continuous increase 

 of foreign buying was reported, and the total for the year was 

 almost as large as in 1884. The advance of last year, however, 

 carried the totals considerably beyond the hitherto remarkable 

 year 1883, the number being between six and seven times 

 gn atei than in 1890, but the value dropping to 161. 10s. per 

 hea !. 



Up to the end of the first half of 1894, the exports did not 

 present much appearance of exceeding those of 1893, although,, 

 like th se of that season, they were considerably above the 

 figures for 1892. From August onwards to December, the 

 m nthly totals rose rapidly, and the presence of buyers from 

 Belgium and France attracted attention in our southern markets. 

 In the first half of 1894, the number of cattle exported was 

 1,281, and their value 25,880?. In the last six months of the 

 year the number was 7,000, and their value 109,437/. 



