125 



PRICES OF LIVE STOCK. 



Returned under the Weighing of Cattle Act. 



In the number of this Journal for March last summaries 

 were given of the returns collected during the year 1898 

 under the Markets and Fairs (Weighing of Cattle) Act in 

 Great Britain, with a serial statement showing the slow but 

 gradual growth in the number of animals weighed and priced 

 at the markets scheduled under the statute since these 

 statistics were first obtained in 1893. The data for the first 

 quarter of 1899 are now available, 283,000 cattle, 746,000 

 sheep, and 110,000 pigs having been returned as entering 

 the markets or marts of the 2 1 places now scheduled in the 

 three months ending March 31, 1899. Of these animals the 

 numbers weighed and priced are indicated in the following 

 statement, with comparative figures for the first quarter of 



the preceding year : — 



Animals. 



ist 

 Quarter, 

 1899. 



ISt 



Quarter, 

 1898. 



Cattle : 





No. 



No. 



Entering markets 





282,696 



275,588 



Weighed - 





33=067 



31,073 



Prices returned - 





29,690 



27,953 



Prices returned with 



quality dis- 





tinguished 





25,020 



23,668 



Sheep : 









Entering markets 





746,H3 



758,922 



Weighed - 





9,699 



n,237 



Prices returned with 



quality dis- 









8,707 



8,762 



Swine : 









Entering markets 





110,244 



80,904 



Weighed - 





325 



349 



Prices returned with 



quality dis- 







tinguished 



325 



231 



The number of cattle entering the markets was thus greater 

 than was the case a year ago, while a still greater relative 



