Cattle Industry of United States. 



349 



The export for 1S95 was specially affected by the scarcity 

 of corn, and may be left out of the comparison as the result 

 'Of exceptional conditions; but taking the figures for 1894, 

 1896, 1897, there is an increase over the three-year period 

 .averaging some 11,000 head per year. 



The exports of fresh (chilled)"beef and of canned beef to the 

 United Kingdom, for the years ending June 30, 1894 to 1897* 

 inclusive, were, according to the United States returns, as 

 "follows : — 



Year ending June 30. Fresh Baef. Canned Beef. 



Lbs. Lbs. 



1894 - - - - 193,331,292 42,544,532 



1895 - - - - 190,736,136 40,310,196 



1896 - - - - 224,507,040 40,092,098 



1897 ... - 290,007,772 34,714,439 



It has been a noticeable feature of the export business 

 that the price of American cattle and beef in the British 

 markets during the year 1897 did not show as great an im- 

 provement as in the United States. The average value of 

 -fed steers in Chicago for the year 1897 is estimated, as has 

 been seen, at a.bout is. io|d. per 100 lbs. (live weight) above 

 the average for 1896. The prices of American imported 

 fresh beef in the English market for these two years, according 

 to the British returns, were: 37s. lod. per cwt, in 1896, and 

 38s. 5d. in 1897 ; giving an addition per cwt. of only 7d. The 

 improvement in price of British cattle was also less marked 

 than that in the United States markets ; the estimated 

 average price in the London Metropolitan Market being 

 js. 2d. per cwt. (dressed w^eight) higher in 1897 than in 1896. 



The difference between the English and the American 

 prices seem thus to have been scarcely large enough to 

 afford a fair profit on exportation; and the year 1897 is 

 described by the " Live Stock Report " as a busy, but not 

 a very profitable one, for exporters. The cost of placing a 

 bteer bought in Chica,go on the English market is estimated 

 roundl}^ at £^,, with some variation from changes in ocean 

 freights, and it is reckoned that, in the case of heavy weight 

 cattle such as are exported, a difference of from 3d. to ^hd. 



* The United States monthly trade returns show that for the year ending June 30 

 1893, the exports to the United Kingdom were: Fresh beef, 274,183,636 lbs.; 

 ^anaed beef, 20,763,131 lbs. 



