WORLD'S MILCH CATTLE.

Shannon News, 16 June 1925, Page 1

WORLD'S MILCH CATTLE.

SIGNIFICANT FIGURES. A monograph, representing: a preliminary attempt at grouping statistical information regardng the world's dairy produce, emanates from the International Institute of Agriculture, Rome, says the "Daily Telegraph," It is true that the existing material relative to this important,, subject is very far from complete, and in view of the absence of reliable facts concerning Russia's agricultural products since 1915, all efforts to ootain a complete survey of the industry must fall short of the wishes of the clever •statistical experts at the Institute. Still, this monograph even as it. stands will be found of practical use to the public, for it assembles and tabulates a series of data which would otherwise be difficult of access, even for persons directly interested. Below is given a table, extracted from a mass of highly interesting figures, showing the total head of milch cattle in many countries and the percentage of such milkers as compared with the total cattle population therein. This table will disclose to British breeders those countries which badly need milch cattle , and which would be good customers for British stock if this island was cleared, or at any rate, rid of foot-and-mouth disease.

The Russian figures are those of the 1915 season, the latest available. A close study of the data in this monograph reveals the story of the great decrease in milk production and dairy produce during the latter years of the war in nearly all European countries; gives a record of the parallel developim nt in milk industries in other Continents; tells of the renewed European activity in production since the Armistice, and the resultant changes in the course of the world's .trade.

Percentage of Milch cattle, milkers com2yrs. old and pared with over. total cattle Country. population. Belgium 820,692 51.2 Cz.-Slovakia 2,298,061 50.0 Denmark 1,349,365 53.9 Finland 1,218,622 64.3 Prance 7,303,940 53.1 Germany ... 8,308,338 49.9 G. Britain .. 3,068,642 33.3 Ireland 1,633,316 31.7 30,171,345 49.2 Netherlands 1,085,713 52.6 Norway 1,131,120 — 47,657,631 — Sweden . ... 1,739,000 63.6 Switzerland 780,000 53.0 Canada 3,228,633 39.0 U. States ... 23,198,000 34.0 Argentina "3 294,987 8 8 Chile "202,152 10.1 Japan .... 53,750 3.7 South Africa 2,263,778 36.5 Australia 2,419,809 16.9 N. Z 1,248,'643 35.9