CHAPTER V.—THE OUTPUT OF LIVESTOCK 
PRODUCTS. 
1. Meat production.—Having regard to the dependence of 
this country on meat imported from overseas, a knowledge of 
the extent of our home production is very necessary, but the 
task of ascertaining the total weight of meat produced from the 
native herds and flocks offers possibly greater difficulties than 
arise in the case of any other important product. 
It is obviously not practicable to ascertain from farmers the 
number of cattle, sheep and swine actually slaughtered, as in 
most cases the animals are not killed on the farm. The number 
of animals sold fat and ready for slaughter would be a very 
indifferent guide, even if complete returns from farmers could be 
got, as there would certainly be considerable duplication. A fair 
approximation would probably be obtained by means of returns 
collected from all the slaughterhouses and butchers throughout 
the country, but the practical difficulties have hitherto prevented 
the adoption of this method, and in any case such returns would 
still exclude a large number of sheep and pigs killed on farms. 
In default of any more satisfactory method the practice 
adopted in 1908 has been followed by which the numbers of cattle, 
sheep and pigs slaughtered annually for food are calculated from 
the differences shown in the number of live stock on June 4th 
as between one year and another, allowances being made for 
births and deaths during the twelve months. The total pro- 
duction of meat is then calculated by multiplying the estimated 
number of animals slaughtered by the estimated average dressed 
carcase weight.* The accuracy of the final estimate depends on 
the accuracy (a) of the allowances made for births and deaths, 
and (6) of the average dressed carcase weight of meat which the 
animals slaughtered are assumed to yield. Exact figures are 
not easy to obtain, but in 1925 a very large number of returns 
* METHOD OF CALCULATING PropucrioNn or MEAT IN 
EXGraND axp Warns. 
Beef —The number of cattle slaughtered is obtained by deducting 
from the number of cattle one year old and above at one census (a) the 
estimated number of natural deaths during the year, viz., 2% per cent: 
of the average number of cattle 1 year old and above during the year and 
(b) the number of cattle two years old and above at the following census: 
This gives the slaughter of cattle from among those enumerated at the 
beginning of the year and to this number is added the imports of store 
cattle from Ireland and Canada, to give the total slaughter in the year of 
cattle fattened in England and Wales. The average dressed carcas® 
weight of 628 1bg, is applied to the figure of the total slaughter to give the 
estimated production of beef. 
Veal.—To the number of animals under one year old at one census 19 
added estimated births of calves during the following twelve months: 
Births are estimated at 8¢ per cent. of the average number of dairy cattle 
during the year. Natural deaths of calves during the twelve months: 
estimated at 11 per cent. of the average of the numbers of animals under 
one year old at the beginning and end of the period, are deducted and from