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Home-killed meat has been better in quality, but very scarce and very high in
price. The large quantities of chilled meat that will arrive after control ceases will
no doubt bring those high prices down, as few people will pay 2s. per pound for
home-killed meat when they can purchase good chilled meat for half the price.
Wholesale prices have gradually come down, but retail prices have not generally been
reduced correspondingly, so that the public has not benefited to a great extent.
There is still a considerable quantity of meat sent to the Markets from the country
districts in such a condition that it is evident there does not exist any systematic system
of supervising slaughterhouses or inspection of meat.
It is strange that as pigs are so often affected with Tuberculosis causing great
loss to their owners—and the cause is so well known, viz., the feeding with milk, and
especially slime, from separators containing tubercle baccilli—some steps have not
been taken to sterilise the food before it is given to the animals. In Denmark the
fresh milk sent to the creameries is separated, the cream retained, the milk sterilised
and returned and the slime destroyed. In the interests of the public and the owners
of the pigs, it might be worth the attention of the Ministry of Agriculture to consider
some legislation to compel sterilisation of pig food derived from milk.
The following notes* show the animal statistics in the various countries from
whence the Market derives the supplies which the Meat Inspectors have to supervise
as to their fitness for human food:—
UNITED KINGDOM.
Cattle.—The total number recorded was 11,770,800, a reduction of 721,127, or 5.8 per cent.
compared with 1919. The decrease was chiefly in cattle under two years of age, caused by a
continuous control on beef but not on veal, with the result that the prices obtained for this
article tempted farmers to sell calves instead of feeding them.
Sheep.—The total number given was 23,407,100, showing a decrease of 1,712,120, or
6.8 per cent., due to a flat-rate price whereby it paid better to sell ewes than to keep them for
breeding purposes.
AUSTRALIA.
The number of cattle is estimated at 12,286,000 head, being an increase of 286,000
compared with 1919.
Sheep are reported to number 76,285,000, compared with 85,000,000 in 1919.
The number of freezing works is given as 49, with a total capacity of 6,600 cattle, 60,000
sheep and 70,000 lambs per day.
NEW ZEALAND.
Cattle in this country are estimated to number 3,059,445, against 3,035,478 in 1919, or an
addition of 23,967 head.
The number of sheep is given as 23,914,506, a decrease of 1,914,048 compared with 1919.
The number freezing works now number 45, with a combined freezing capacity of 4,000
cattle, 132,000 sheep and lambs per day.
CANADA.
In view of the agitation of the opening of the ports for the entrance of store cattle from
Canada, it is interesting to note that the number of cattle in the Dominion is reported to be
9,477,380, against 10,085,011 in 1919. The decrease is stated to be due to heavy deliveries
of cattle to the United States, which numbered 550,000, as compared with 249,000 in 1918.
The number of sheep is reported to show an increase from 3,421,958 in 1919 to 3,720,783
in 1920.
The amount of meat sent to us by Canada during 1920 was only 6,076 tons, and consisted
mostly of boned beef, &c., thus Canada need not be counted as a source of imported meat supply.
Fat cattle from the Dominion are now on the water. It will be interesting to watch if this
trade, about to re-open, will continue.
SOUTH AFRICA.
The amount of meat imported from South Africa during 1920 was only 5,645 tons, compared
with 19,942 tons in 1919.
The Union has lately sent a Veterinary Officer to Argentina to study the meat trade and
meat inspection there. He returned via London, and spent some time noting the quality and
condition of meat arriving from other countries.
It would appear that the breeders and feeders require educating as to the type of cattle
necessary, and the dressing of the carcases leaves much to be desired in order to secure a good
name in Smithfield.
The number of freezing works is stated to be 20, with a capacity of 850 head of cattle per day.
The latest live stock returns (1919) show 5,575,488 head of cattle and 28,491,500 sheep in
the Union of South Africa.
* Partly extracted from Messrs. Weddel and Co.'s Report.