Bloch Tests. 
147 
lowest guesses was (in stones of 14 lbs. each) 14st. 5 lbs., oi’ in 
money value bl. 12s. lO^cf. ; but if the greatest diversity of opinion 
be taken, in one instance the difference was 31 st. 4 lbs., or in money 
value 12?. 15s. 6d, and this in the case of a beast whose carcass 
weighed 56 st. 1 1 lbs. 
There would of course be many good guesses, so that the above 
figures do not fairly represent the true knowledge of the farmers 
but it shows sufficiently the difficulty of the opei’ation of guessing 
weights. 
There have been two tests confined to butchers and dealers. In 
one of these, the butchers differed in their estimate of carcass 
weight to the extent of 17 st. 4 lbs., or in money value 'll. Is. 2d. 
Now butchers may be called “ educated guessers,” as their business 
gives them the opportunity of practically testing their guesses every 
week. This is a still further confirmation of the great difficulty 
there is in arriving by a system of guessing at weights which 
represent quantity, and this affords conclusive evidence that this 
part of the business operations of marketing cattle should be done 
away with. It has also another incurable defect. This guesswork, 
which is mere speculative opinion, can never represent a fact, and 
consequently cannot be expressed by a figure, whereas it is absolutely 
necessary to obtain a figure in order that a true and reliable basis 
of calculation may be arrived at. This figure can only be got by 
taking the live weight as a basis of calculation, and without this no 
accurate accounts showing where profit or loss arises can be made out. 
In these days of intense competition created by free importations, 
it is absolutely necessary to set out such accounts. 
A new feature in fai'ming is thus presented which must be faced, 
for the old methods have not proved sufficient to meet the change in 
the times, and graziers have been steadily losing money. Other 
producing industries have had to meet the same severe competition, 
and of necessity have to rely entirely upon facts as to cost, and these 
facts are always represented by figures. 
Having shown the difficulty of arriving at the carcass value of 
fat cattle by the present method of guessing, I will now show how 
easy it is to calculate the value of the carcass from the ascertained 
live weight. 
There have been eight public tests of this kind where the live 
weight has been taken as a basis for calculation of the carcass 
weight, viz., by estimating the percentage of meat which a beast is 
likely to yield. This is the point where judgment or knowledge as 
to condition is required, but this knowledge is what farmers already 
possess, and a few tests will make them adepts. Taking the average 
of the eight tests, the difference between the highest and lowest 
estimates has only been 7 lbs., or, in money value, only 4s. — instead 
of 14 st. 5 lbs., or 5?. 12s. lO^c?. in money value, where guessing was 
resorted to. These figures, will, I think, show how very difficult and 
uncertain the process of guessing is, when weight and condition are 
considered together, without anything to guide the judgment. 
They will also show how easy the calculation becomes when the 
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