EL—29.

Slaughter, of Stock. The lambing season was a good one, and, the conditions continuing favourable for fattening, the slaughtering season opened early. While prices showed some tendency to fluctuate, they have nevertheless been maintained at a payable basis for the producer, but as by-products have not maintained the values of previous years it is doubtful if the returns on the whole will be sufficient to satisfy exporters. Sheep and lamb slaughterings have been heavier than last year, as have also calves and swine, all of which show substantial increases. Cattle-slaughterings have again decreased, owing to the low prices offering in the overseas market. The following table shows the stock slaughtered at freezing establishments alone during the year, with the previous year's figures shown also : —

For purposes of comparison the following table shows the killing of sheep and lambs over four periods—lst October to 31st March in each year—as indicative of the slaughterings from, the beginning of each season to 31st March, the end of the year under review, but not the end of the season : —

These figures show an increase of 75,474 sheep and 231,990 lambs for the period Ist October, 1926, to 31st March, 1927, compared with the same period of 1925-26. The following are the numbers of each class of animal slaughtered under direct inspection during the year ended 31st March, 1927 : — Cattle.. .. .. .. .. .. .. 321,039 Calves.. .. .. .. .. .. .. 100,486 Sheep.. .. .. .. .. .. .. 3,018,977 Lambs .. .. .. .. .. .. 5,470,710 Swine .. .. ». .. .. .. 379,577 The following table indicates the respective class of premises at which these animals were slaughtered : —

At ordinary slaughterhouses for the year ended 31st March, 1927, the stock slaughtered was as follows : — Cattle .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 83,94-6 Calves .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,472 Sheep .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 238,409 Lambs .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 23,701 Swine .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 23,143 In addition, 38,739 carcasses of pork killed and dressed by farmers and sent into butchers' shops were examined by departmental officers. In connection with the animals shown in the table as slaughtered at meat-export slaughterhouses, the following numbers of the respective classes are returned as having gone into consumption within the Dominion : — Cattle .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 38,740 Calves .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 7,713 Sheep .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 152,343 Lambs .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 60,348 Swine .. .. .. .. 15,312

18

, Year ended Year ended J Increase, Decrease, 31st March, 1927. 31st March, 1926. |31stMarch, 1927. 31stMarch, 1927. Cattle .. .. .. .. 163,268 206,904 .. 43,636 Sheep .. .. .. .. 2,409,396 2,292,257 117,139 Lambs.. .. .. .. 5,343,766 5,055,245 288,521 Calves .. .. .. .. 57,791 31,358 26,433 Swine .. .. .. .. 201,766 159,852 41,914

I Stock. 1923-24. 1924-25. 1925-26. 1920-27. ' ! L I I Sheep .. .. .. i 1,462,128 1,821,901 1,654,489 | 1,729,963 Lambs .. .. .. | 3,492,004 3,360,761 3,574,508 | 3,806,498 1 ; l_ I

Stock. Abattoirs. ! Bacon-factories. Cattle .. .. .. .. .. 157,771 163,268 Calves .. .. .. .. .. 42,695 57,791 Sheep .. .. .. .. .. 609,581 2,409,396 Lambs .. .. .. .. .. 126,944 5,343,766 Swine .. .. .. .. .. 136,544 201,766 41,267