THE AMERICAN CATTLE TRADE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume X, Issue 3434, 2 January 1886, Page 4

THE AMERICAN CATTLE TRADE.

The American Bureau of Statistics has recently issued its annual report concerning what is known as "the range and ranche buainess" of the United States (says the Daily News). The territory comprised in "the range and ranche area Is about 1,365,000 square miles in extent, and constitutes nearly 44 per cent, of the total surface of the United States. This immense district is equal in siz?_to the whole of great Britain, Ireland, France, Germany, Denmark, Holland, Belgium, Aestria-Buugary, Italy, Spain, Portugal. and one-fifth of European Russia; anH it supported in 1884 no less than 49,417,782 bead of cattle. In 1880 the number was 35925,511; in 1870, 28,820,608; in 1860, 25,620,019 ; and in 1860 only 17,578,907. In the United Kingdon in 1884 the total cattle population was only 10.421,762; England and Wales containing 5,132.537 bead. The range and ranche area of the United States possesses therefore, nearly 10 times as many cattle as England and Wales, and the valnn of the American herds is estimated at L 238 000,000. This sum merely reri'esert* tbeir value on the plains of the Far West. Thauks to the development of the American railway system, the cost of conveying these cattle to the markets of the East is now extraordinarily low. The average charge from the range to Chicago is 32s per head, from Chicago to New York it is a sovereign, and the cost of shipping a carcase or live beast on to Liverpool or London is about 50a. A beast, on the plains, is worth, roughly, La. It will thns be seen that American fat cattle, dead or alive, ought to be purchasable in England for IeBS than LlO a-piece. It was not until 1880 that the shipping of dead fresh meat across the Atlantic became au important branch of commerce. In that year 15,680 tons were so shipped, bnt next year the tonnage was 75,259 ; in 1882 it was 93,110 ; in 1883 it was 145,871; and laßt year it had grown to 173,067. The headquarters of the trade have hitherto -been exclusively at Chicago, and the shipping ports for beef are chiefly in New England ; but this year several firms at St. Lonis have entered the business, and the shipments are being greatly increased. Already, indeed, Great Britain obtains nearly 90 per cent of her foreign fresh beef from the United States, and about 40 per cent of the remainder from Canada. Last year, in addit on to 81,861,1921b of beef, 400,000 live cattle were brought to ua across the Atlantic.