HC Deb 07 February 1974 vol 868 cc372-4W
Mr. J. H. Osborn

asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the average price of milking cows now being sold at market; how this compares with the position a month and two months ago as well as over the same period last year; and how prices at markets in south Yorkshire, south Lancashire, Cheshire and Derbyshire have differed from the national average.

per head)
November 1973 December 1973 Week ending 30th January 1974
England and Wales 190.18 184.72 182.97
November 1972 December 1972 Week ending 31st January 1973
England and Wales 199.20 205.97 216.73
November 1972 December 1972 November 1973 December 1973
South Yorkshire 192.15 194.19 191.24 181.15
South Lancashire 212.67 206.67 204.60 198.09
Cheshire 188.70 195.79 191.29 185.51
Derbyshire 180.06 187.75 179.28 155.97

Mr. J. H. Osborn

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many cows have been slaughtered in each of the past 10 weeks; how this compares with the number slaughtered in the same period a year and two years ago; what

NUMBER OF COWS AND BULLS* SLAUGHTERED IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
Week ending '000 Week ending '000 Week ending '000
17th November 1973 17 18th November 1972 21 20th November 1971 20
24th November 1973 21 25th November 1972 22 27th November 1971 20
1st December 1973 20 2nd December 1972 20 4th December 1971 20
8th December 1973 21 9th December 1972 21 11th December 1971 18
15th December 1973 19 16th December 1972 19 18th December 1971 16
22nd December 1973 15 23rd December 1972 13 25th December 1971 10
29th December 1973 8 30th December 1972 6 1st January 1972 9
5th January 1974 14 6th January 1973 14 8th January 1972 15
12th January 1974 21 13th January 1973 18 15th January 1972 18
19th January 1974 22 20th January 1973 16 22nd January 1972 17
* Separate slaughter figures for cows and bulls are not available. The number of bulls included is small.
† Provisional.
CENSUS NUMBERS OF DAIRY COWS
United Kingdom June 1973 June 1972 June 1971
Cows and Heifers in milk 3,038,167 2,941,520 2,852,964
Cows in Calf but not in milk 398,107 383,040 380,681
Total 3,436,274 3,324,560 3,233,645
England and Wales September 1973 September 1972 September 1971
Cows and Heifers in milk 2,346,877 2,300,986 2,223,020
Cows in Calf but not in milk 605,442 573,783 537,424
Total 2,952,319 2,874,769 2,760,444
UNITED KINGDOM SALES THROUGH MILK MARKETING SCHEMES
(Million gallons)
November 1973 215.6* November 1972 223.1 November 1971 209.1
December 1973 217.3* December 1972 226.0 December 1971 211.2
January 1974 218.4† January 1973 228.0 January 1972 213.0
* Provisional.
† Part estimated.

Mr. Anthony Stodart

The average prices of first quality Friesian cows in milk were as follows:—

are now the number of milking cows; and what is the output of milk, indicating how this compares with a year and two years ago.

Mr. Anthony Stodart

The information requested is as follows:—

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