BEEF SUPPLY FOR BRITAIN

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28702, 27 September 1958, Page 12

BEEF SUPPLY FOR BRITAIN

“Scarcity Will Continue” (Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.) LONDON, September 26. Farmers and agricultural experts who attended a beef conference at Northampton agreed that: Beef will continue to be scarce in Britain for some time and command higher prices; that there is little hope of getting more from abroad; and that home production must increase, says the ‘‘Daily Telegraph’s’’ agricultural correspondent. “As fat cattle cannot be produced overnight the immediate outlook is not bright.’’ says the correspondent. "Britain may be able to get another 35.000 tons from home-bred animals in the next year or two, but we eat 1.3 m tons of beef a “year and a third ol this comes from abroad. “We cannot look to the Argentine. Neither Australia nor New Zealand will have much extra good quality beef to offer in the next few years.” .Mr W. E. Bowden, head of a Fat Stock Marketing Corporations livestock division, said: “Beef production is booming and never before has the British farmer had such a safe and assured market for home-produced neat.’’ Argentine supplies were uncertain and would without doubt diminish during the next two or three years, says the correspondent. Argentine Killings Stocks in Argentina have been reduced from 47m head in 1956 to 37.7 m in 1958. Slaughterings exceeded calvings in 1956-58 by 9.2 m head, or in other words this number of females had been slaughtered from breeding herds. Home beef consumption io the Argentine had increased per head from 1761 b to 2131 b yearly since 1938. an increase of 21 per cent., and approximately 9m cattle were slaughtered annually to meet home consumption. This year only 2.7 m cattle were available for export. Mr Bowden pointed out that the Argentine’s beef supply accounted for approximately 20 per •cent, of Britain’s beef and 15 per cent, of her total meat consumption. Almost Im quality beef animals would have to be produced at home if this vital supply dried up. The biggest single contribution British farmers could make to the quick increase in home beef production was to exploit the modern technique for production of twin calves. By special treatment, cows could be induced to bear twins or even triplets. Extra calves could make a substantial contribution.