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Archiver > Scotch-Irish > 2001-08 > 0998040768


From: Charles Clark <>
Subject: Re: [Scotch-Irish] "Cattle Boats"
Date: Fri, 17 Aug 2001 21:32:48 +1200
References: <006401c126be$c2324280$75f12dd0@barbourville.com>


There certainly was a trade in live cattle from Canada to Britain starting in 1888, and I rather presume that this was built on the back of a similar trade from America from an earlier date. Note that the cattle went east, which is the opposite direction to your emigrants. Note also that the trade is to England rather than Ireland.
An extract from "Calgary, Canada's Frontier Metropolis" has the following: "The economic base for a successful open range industry was created by the emergence of a hungry British market and the completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1886. Sales to Britain began in 1888 when 5,000 head brought between $40 and $50 per head. Between 1891 and 1906 an annual average of about 50,000 head of cattle made their way from Alberta ranches to
Great Britain."
"The open range factors contributed to a deterioration in stock quality. The importation of inferior bulls, combined with random breeding practices, had adverse effects in sales. Canadian cattle consistently brought less than their American counterparts on the British market." (So there certainly were American cattle in the British market)
"Canadian marketing difficulties were compounded by the rise of highly competitive cheap-beef producing nations like Australia and Argentina, which were able to take advantage of modern refrigeration technology to offset their disadvantageous location." (I presume this implies that Canadian exports in the early days were livestock, to be finished and slaughtered in Britain.)
Charlie

Wayne Adams wrote:

> Some time ago, I encountered the following bit of information regarding my ancestors, "William Adams {son of Elisha} worked his way from Ireland to America on a cattle boat....." Whether or not this information is valid, it still brings up the question: did very many people utilize this method of transport to get to America, and if so, were the boats (or ships) required to record and file a listing of individuals who came in this manner?


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