WORLD'S BEEF SUPPLY.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14889, 31 January 1914, Page 14

WORLD'S BEEF SUPPLY.

A SHORTAGE. PROBLEM OF THE FUTURE. Mr -V. Crabb. Veterinary Officer of the Now Zealand Government in London, has, at the request of the Government, furnished an interesting report on the shortage in the world's supply of beef. The report, which has been published in the "Journal of Agriculture," contains a mass of most valuable information, and indicates that the provision of an adequate supply of beef is evidently going to become one of the problems of tho future, ft looks as though the taste of the public in its consumption of meat will havo to alter, seeing that while tho supply of boof appears to bo gradually decreasing, the population of tho world is increasing, and, moreover, with increased wages and increased spending power among the workers, the demand for meat foods is likely also to increase. In his report Mr Crabb says:— In tho, following countries the numlier of cattle have decreased: United Kingdom, India, Holland, Norway, Bulgaria, Egypt, Austria-Hurfgary, United States, Argentina. Japan, Servia, Chilo, and Natal. Tim following are somo of the most notable reductions :—ln the United Kingdom in 18S0 there were 291 cittlo .icr 1000 of the population; in It'll this number had fallen to 261. In the Argentine Republic in 1895 there wore 5487' for every 1001) inhabitants, and in 1908 only 4656. In tho United States in 1880 tho cattle numbered 791 per 1000 people, and in 1912 only 618. In Au'stria-Hungarv in 1880 thero wero 368 cattle per 1000,' and m 1910 only 319. On the other hand, the cattle in Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, Sweden, Italy, Germany, Canada, Russia, France, Ceylon, and Transvaal have increased more rapidly than the populations, the following being the principal examples: In Germany in 1893 there were 329 cattle per 1000 inhabitant*-, and in 1907 this had risen to 331.. In Italy in 1882 there were 167 per 1000, _nd m 1908 this had increased to 183. In France in 1885 there were 347 cattle per 1000, and in 1911 this had risen to 367. In Australia in 1901 there were 227 - cattle per 1000, and in 1910 there w_r«'2_s_.-' These increases, however, by no means compensate for tht> decreases which have taken place in

other countries, as tho 6ura of tho figures upon which calculations have been based, in the case of thoso countries where decreases aro noted, i$ approximately 210.389,000, whereas in those countries where increaafcs have occurred th* figures total only 102_>554.000. This can hardly be taken as a true statistical comparison, on account of tho fijjores covering a rango of .some few years in each case, but thoy will, I think, give a fairly accurate indication of tho position. tt will further lie noted that in several important instances the percentage of dairy cattle has increased during the period reviewed. This is tho caso in United Kingdom, Finland, United States, Japan, Sweden, Australia, New Zoaland, France, and Servia. The most j striking examples of unch increases are. : In tho United States in 1880 th© dairy cattle, represented 31 per cent, of tho total, and in IDI2 they were SG per cent. When it is noted that there are close upon G0,000.000 battle in that country, it can bo understood that ft 5 per cent, increase in the dairy cattle would lead to a considerable reduction in the available number of beef cattle. In France in ISSS. 49 per cent, of the cattlo were used for dairying, and in 1911 the percentage had risen to 52. In Australia in 1901 thero were 16 jier cent, of the dairy cattle, and in 1910 there were IS per cent. In Now Zealand in 1900 the dairy cattle represented 33 1 per cent., and in 1911 the proportion had risen to 40 per ce.pt. As to tho future, there is reason to anticipate that any shortage now being experienced will become accentuated, as a study of the figures for some of tho more important countries shows that the human populations aro increasing at a greater rate than the cattle.