Packing.— The packer or slaughterer of meats is willing to pay a premium for animals in prime or well-fatted condition because when slaughtered they yield a higher percentage of dressed meat, fat, and, in the case of cattle, hides. Not only is this true, but the packer understands that prime condition in the live animal is a strong indication of high quality in the carcass. In fact, it may be said that con dition is a prime requisite for producing high It has a greater influence undoubtedly high breeding. .Again, the packer pays a premium for cattle prime in condition and prime to quality, or good breeding, because in well bred animals the percentage of high priced cuts is greater than in mongrel or indifferently bred stock. Undoubtedly, the tendency of the meat trade for several years has been to concentrate a large part of the slaughtering of the country at leading market centres like Chicago. In other words, gigantic and powerful packing companies have developed from small begin nings until they have within their combined power the ability to practically regulate the market for live cattle, hogs and sheep and meats the world over. Chicago is the greatest live stock and meat market in the world. A large majority of local meat markets in the cities and villages throughout tile United States are sup plied through the medium of the packing-houses located at our leading livestock markets. Packing-houses can furnish any grade of meat desired. For example, in beef they can supply all grades from No. 1 to canning stock at prices corresponding with the quality. So econom ically is the business of the packing-houses ad ministered and so well organized are the various industries growing out of the wholesale slaugh ter of meats that it is possible for them to sell practically all grades of beef in cities and vil lages remote from their central plant at prices which successfully compete with local competi tion. The local purveyor of meats can bur whatever grade of meat he can dispose of to advantage. As a rule in the smaller cities and villages the retailer buys a medium to low grade carcass, because his trade is not willing to pay prices which of necessity must be paid to secure meat of high quality. It is safe to say that the beef offered at such markets is seldom above No. 2 in grade, no matter whether the market is supplied by packers or local slaughterers.
It is impossible to predict the ultimate effect upon the meat trade of the change from local to packing-house slaughtering. On the one hand a packing-house trust can control the price of live cattle, sheep and swine in such a manner as to reduce, temporarily if not permanently, or in some instances, destroy entirely the profits of the meat producing industry; on the other hand, such a trust can control the price of meat in the carcass to such an extent as to discourage the consumption of meat by raising the price to such a degree that it will become one of the most expensive articles of diet. This power is not likely to be permanently exercised to the disadvantage of the public good, for it should be borne in mind that the very life of the packing business depends upon an active de mand for meats by the consuming public. This demand will not exist when prices of meats are too high as compared with other food stuffs. Producers will cease to prepare live
stock for the block when the business becomes clearly unprofitable. In other words meat is not an absolutely necessary part of the diet of the masses, nor is the permanency of agricul ture dependent upon continuous livestock production.
Consumption and Notwith standing improved methods for meat produc tion the actual cost of cattle, sheep and swine as put upon the market by producers the world over is steadily on the increase. Nowhere is this increased cost any more manifest than in the United States. Changes already referred to in the methods of slaughtering and increased cost of production of meats have not lessened the gross or even the per capita consumption of meats in the United States or Great Britain. The per capita consumption of beef in the United States has increased in the last few years, while it is probable, although statistics are wanting to substantiate the statement, that the per capita consumption of other meats has increased still more.
The following table shows the annual per capita consumption of meat, including beef, mutton and pork, for different countries: Per capita consumption of meat in all coun tries for which the information is obtainable, probably of dressed weight is expressed in pounds, unless otherwise stated. For Germany, some parts are included in addition to dressed weight in the preceding table.
From this table it is evident that the per capita meat consumption for the different coun tries reported varies within wide limits, Italy ranking lowest and the Australian Common wealth highest. The high figure for the latter country is largely fictitious, due to the excessive waste of meat and meat products for which the Australian is noted. The low figure of 46.5 pounds of meat as the per capita consump tion in Italy is the result of a thorough inves tigation of the slaughter of meat animals in every commune in Italy, made by the Director General of Public Health. The per capita figure for the United States ranks third in the list. Of the estimates given in the table of the meat consumption in this country, those of the Bureau of Statistics are undoubtedly the most accurate; and of the three figures given, the last, representing the per capita consumption of edible dressed meat and of other edible por tions of the carcass, is undoubtedly the most significant as indicative of the actual consump tion of meat.
As a nation the United States leads all others in the production of meat. The table presented on p. 495 shows that the United States produces one-third of the world's supply of beef. The United States also produces more than one-half the pork and one-seventh of the mutton of the world.
The accompanying tables are interesting as showing the relative amounts of beef, mutton and pork consumed in a few of the principal countries: The table clearly indicates the preponderate and almost equal importance of beef and pork in the American dietary. Of beef; mutton and pork alone, the estimates point to a yearly con sumption, by the average American family of 4.6 persons, of a little over half a ton of dressed meat (1,014 pounds) or of a little over two fifths of a ton of edible meat.