144 



THE ARGENTINE LIVE STOCK INDUSTRY. [Sept. 1895. 



breeds of Leicester, Cotswold, and Romney Marsh have also 

 been introduced, but in a smaller degree. Oxfordshire Downs, 

 South Downs, and Hampshire Downs are to be found, but in 

 very limited numbers, chiefly in the lucerne lands of the 

 province of Santa Fe, where they appear to do well. 



Argentine wool is chiefly consumed in France and Germany. 

 It is sold locally in the Buenos Ayres wool markets. It is not 

 washed on the sheep's back, but is all sold dirty and in the 

 grease. The general fall in wool prices is reported to have been 

 felt most acutely in the Republic, where the deficiencies in 

 careful breeding, and the prevalence of the scab disease, occasion 

 the production of the " inferior classes of wool " which have 

 been mo t severely punished in the present declining market. 



The markets for the consumption of Argentine mutton are — 

 local consumption ; meat-freezing establishments ; and export of 

 live wethers to Europe. 



The local consumption is estimated at 5,600,000 head per 

 annum. 



The rapid development of the export trade in live sheep has 

 been already referred to. The minimum live weight demanded 

 by the exporter is 132 lbs., and the price paid by him for the 

 wether in Buenos Ayres is 12s. The cost of freight is estimated 

 to be from 128. to 14s., and fodder, care, and incidental expenses 

 may be calculated at another 7s. to 8.s. The wethers are reported 

 to sell in tlie markets of Liverpool and Deptford at from 1^. 15s. 

 to 21 4s. 



The export is almost entirely limited to England. A Tunited 

 number find their way to France, but the protective measures 

 of that country, including the cutting up and marking of the 

 carcase, have discouraged the exporter, who finds his best 

 market to be England. 



The meat-freezing trade, instituted in 1882, has been for the 

 past decade the most important outlet for the Argentine wether. 

 There are at present five freezing establishments, capable of 

 exporting between them all 3,000,000 frozen carcases per annum. 

 They are private enterprises and not supported by Government. 

 Their export since 1891 is as follows : — 23,278 tons in 1891, 

 25,436 tons in 1892, and 25,041 tons in 1893. 



It is pointed out, however, that the constant fall in the price 

 of frozen mutton is naturally producing a corresponding decline 

 in the value of the wether for freezing purposes, and that if the 

 fall in frozen mutton continues it will threaten the existence of 

 the meat-freezing trade. 



In conclusion, Mr. Peel states that there is still one beneficial 

 result, so far as the English breeder is concerned, of this growth 

 of the live export business in the Argentine Republic, viz., the 

 demand for bulls and sheep for breeding, particularly the Tatter, 

 which may be expected to continue for some time. 



