§ Mr. COURTHOPEasked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) what is the estimated number of store cattle now available for export from Ireland; and how this number compares with the estimated figures at a corresponding period in 1912?
§ Mr. RUSSELLThe number of cattle (other than fat cattle) exported from Ireland between the 1st January last and the 15th instant was 160,839, as against 55,630 in the corresponding period of 1912. This increase is due to the removal of the restrictions imposed on the admission of cattle into Great Britain in consequence of foot-and-mouth disease. It is not possible to make a close estimate of the number of store cattle now available for exportation, but it may be safely stated that the number is larger than that available at this time last year. The number of cattle under two years old in the country when the last enumeration was taken (June, 1912) was 2,222,139, as compared with 2,131,175 in June, 1911, and the total number of cattle in the country was 4,848,498 in June, 1912, as compared with 4,711,720 in June, 1911.