242 



Live Stock Trade of Mexico. 



continues in a prosperous condition, although, as will be seen 

 by the table below, the exports of horned stock have again 

 declined during the past year. In many of the northern 

 parts of the country, especially in the States of Chihuahua, 

 Coahuila, and Nuevo Leon, large tracts are now devoted to 

 grazing and fattening of cattle, and also in some parts of the 

 States of Jalisco, Michoacan, and Puebla, where foreign stock 

 has been brought to cross with native breeds. 



The value- of foreign cattle imported for breeding 

 purposes during the year 1900 was £21,281, the imports 

 including calves and heifers as well as full grown animals. 

 It is impossible to say what was the actual number of head, 

 as the returns are given by weight, on which the duty is 

 levied. The total value of all other animals imported for 

 breeding or other purposes was £30,628. Mules and horses 

 for draught purposes rank next in value to cattle. 



The value of the exports of live animals from Mexico in 

 1900 was £637,836, as against £634,710 in the previous year, 

 and the number of head shipped in 1900 corhpared with the 

 three preceding years is shown below : — 



Horned Cattle 

 Sheep 



Hogs - - - - 

 Horses, mules, and asses 



1897. 



1898. 



1S99. 



1900. 



313=290 

 159,941 

 6,852 



4,478 



213,333 

 30,943 

 8,918 

 2,233 



193,256 

 2,763 

 5,416 

 4,901 



176,781 

 14,292 



2,459 

 7,026 



The increase in the number of horses, mules, etc., was 

 accounted for in a large degree by a greater demand for 

 Mexican horses, 5,251 having been exported in 1900. 



The Mexican horse, though not so large as the European or 

 American animal, is much stronger, and better able to endure 

 the fatigues incident to mountainous countries and the con- 

 tinual climatic changes so often experienced by armies in 

 time of war. Last year several of these animals were 

 purchased by agents in the United States for the use of the 

 troops in South Africa. 



[Foreign Office, Annual Series, 2693.] 



