MEAT PRODUCTION.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12739, 17 April 1912, Page 6

MEAT PRODUCTION.

SCARCITY OF BEEF. Statistics recently published of the meat supply of Great Britain suggest that before long the whole civilised world will be obliged to change; its diet or to increase its meat production. In the United States, m Great Britain, and m many other countries population grows more rapidly than the number of animals fit for food. The inhabitants of the United Kingdom, for example, increased froifi 43,061,b00 m 1906 to about 45,861,000 i.h 1911, and during the same period her ' total number of sheep . grew only, from 29,313;400 to 30;627,480, while her cattle actually decreased from 12,252,170 to 12,066,500 head. The consumption of beef and mutton per, capita is given at 88.021 b m 1911, as compared with 86.091 b m 1909, and with 84.661 b m 1906. It is evident, therefore, tliat the people of the United Kingdom, like those of the United States, are eating more meat as their wealth increases, oblivious apparently that they are exhausting their supplies. For some years past the number of animals slaughtered has been too large m comparison with, the average rate of propagation. Thus far the shortage m the British domestic supply has been more than offset by importations, but it is pointed out that even this remedy has its limitations. Inclusive of veal and pork, the meat consumption of the United Kingdom is estimated at about 1101 b per capita per annum. Even m 1886 M .llhall placed it at 1061 b, as compared with '661 b per capita m 1840. Statistics regarding the meat consumption elsewhere than m Great Britain and the United States are not yet available, but there is no reason to believe that the position described is peculiar to the countries mentioned.