Livestock totals change meaning when the geographical heading is misread. Figures initially taken as British turn out to be Irish: the 1854 table lists about 1.5 million cows and heifers in Ireland. By 1867, Ireland still had roughly that number compared with about 2 million in Great Britain. The sheep totals show a much larger British lead and prompt a connection to the wool market. Categories such as other cattle and other sheep also require care because their precise contents are unclear in this reading.
Notable Point · 44:49-48:54
Livestock comparisons depend on the geographical heading
Irish livestock figures initially mistaken for British totals lead to a comparison of cattle and sheep in the two economies.