98 



PKICES OF LIVE STOCK. 



[June 1895. 



PRICES OF LIVE STOCK AS RETURNED UNDER THE 

 MARKETS AND FAIRS (WEIGHING OF CATTLE) 

 ACT, 1891. 



Statements have appeared in each of the previous numbers of 

 the J ournal of the Board of Agriculture showing the extent to 

 which, in 1893 and 1894, the employment of the weighbridge 

 was resorted to in the sale of live stock, and furnishing illustra- 

 tions of the prices recorded under the Markets and Fairs 

 (Weighing of Cattle) Act, 1891, from the nineteen scheduled 

 places in Great Britain. 



The following summaries based on the Returns received 

 by the Board continue the information thus afforded, and show 

 that the number of animals entering the public markets or 

 auction marts, the number whereof the live- weight was ascer- 

 tained, and the cases where the current prices were ascertained 

 by the market authorities and auctioneers, were as follows in 

 the first three months of 1895 and of 1894 respectively : — 



Animals. 



1895. 



1894. 



Cattle : 



Entering markets _ _ _ 

 Weighed - - - - 

 Prices retm^ned _ > _ 

 Prices returned with breed and quality 

 distinguished. 

 Sheep : 



Entering markets - 

 Weighed 



Prices returned with breed and quality- 

 distinguished. 

 SwmE : 



Entering markets 



Weighed - _ _ _ 

 , Prices returned 

 Prices returned with breed and quality 

 distinguished. 



No. 

 271,648 

 24,771 

 22,211 

 16,818 



No. 



282,562 

 22,587 

 20,353 

 13,978 





710,865 

 7,703 

 5,279 



895,871 

 8,193 

 5,197 





57,508 

 345 

 23-^ 

 4 



41,429 

 555 

 86 

 11 





The actual numbers of cattle weighed and priced were greater 

 in the present year than in 1894, thus indicating a continued 

 if not very rapid advance in the practice of weighing. Despite 

 a decline of nearly 4 per cent, in the numbers of cattle shown in 

 the scheduled markets, the numbers weighed were nearly 10 per 

 cent, greater, and the records of price more numerous by 9 per 

 cent, than in the same months of 1894, while the quotations 

 furnished in complete form showed more than twice this rate of 

 improvement. 



