View report page

91
It is doubtful if even the great resources of Argentina will continue to cope with
such demands for meat.
There appears a prospect of short supplies of meat in the near future ; this is due
to a reduction in the number of animals produced in some of the countries from which
Great Britain formerly received supplies, for example, in the United States of
America, according to the latest returns, the number of cattle in 1913 as compared
with the year 1912, shows a decrease of 1,432,000 and 880,000 sheep. The reduction
appears to be a gradual one, as a statement is made showing that a decrease of
16,000,000 head of cattle has taken place during the last six years, while the population
is said to have increased 21 per cent.
Canadian statistics show a reduction of 152,700 cattle, compared with the figures
for 1912, and the population of that country is rapidly increasing.
Thus the only sources of meat supply for the Central Markets at present worth
considering, are South America, Australia, New Zealand and the Continent, in addition
to Home supplies.
South American Meat.
The supplies from South America to the Central Markets for the year 1913
aggregated 172,863 tons. The quality of the meat arriving from that source is as
nearly perfect as possible. The condition of large quantities of the chilled meat exposed
for sale in the Central Markets is generally very creditable to those concerned, and an
object lesson to those handling meat from a less distant source. Although occasionally
diseased quarters of beef are observed, considering the large quantities of meat arriving,
the percentage of disease found is very small.
The following figures show the amount of meat seized as unfit for human food,
due to disease in Argentine meat supplies:—
Articles. Disease.
27 hind-quarters of beef Tuberculosis.
10 fore-quarters of beef ,,
At present an endeavour is being made to ensure that a label is attached to every
carcase of mutton and quarter of beef, the label to show the name of the Frigorifico, and
a statement, practically a certificate, to the effect that the meat has been examined and
passed, also the name of the responsible inspector, so that when a diseased quarter of
beef is found there will be no difficulty in tracing its origin and the person responsible.
Towards the end of the year disease was discovered in Argentine ox-tongues,
which necessitated the partial thawing out of large quantities of these organs in order
to ascertain which were fit or unfit for human consumption. The following figures
show the amount of work done:—