JUDGING CATTLE BY POINTS.

Clutha Leader, Volume I, Issue 18, 5 November 1874, Page 3

JUDGING CATTLE BY POINTS.

&; iM^ngj Sscgn~ * ; ajdeep* interest iin, this.n^att^'jp^liplierl 5 . the following importan t f tet js£ :-^j.pßsie ' ; 1 Priory, 5 lnt^t^:J!iovjm^A^^^oi ' — I .road: With mtueh,.4ntej»st rf Mr^^;-* J BruceVpajjer-on thejfprj^nt h fudging .stock, which appeared in your"' tj. journal*,! Mr': Bruce {pa; fW3Tm^H7ni pointed, out -the faults jas^we)| fflifflp'l :rem'e'diesiv j The 4i9^%fec^n;AwjupV : j: rtoO: frequently follows the decisions of. ] \ :judgeis J i6 afeojco^recfly/jj^jol.,^ v f^^; J ; . in ray- opinion, are^taey $f abi^ty-j h ?on the parfclof .many/ judges, tj^gpenpr, | ability ror; strong will of one of.Jhejff, [; .nunjl)er;joyer*rulin^r h . eOmevcases | the; better judgm'ent^'bf * • coadjutors,: .the- ; limited-; . .time ' 'ajfq w^d* andy.cons^uently(<;hurr^e,(lr inanner^ih,, > which judges- are compelled to at/a deoisicinj: ahd< they ; bjas or^ prejijs£esj on .their part for', or :- agaijnst., particulajr ' h strains, of bipod, and t^eirihoi,attacliing !• sufficient importance tp^pecifttjeatiir^; im the animals. jy-Tbere.,, if, nprdoubV 1 great bUffidulty experiencedjin} ,optjpiii|iing '.', v the y services/rvof "competent ; j judges. j[ , '') many 1 jof the £est mclgtes i^r.ejjexhibifjbijs r - themselves,? or indisposed : to/travel great' ! distances; '-to-.*, undertake^ Ari^jn^jdio^s : ; task} many; weli-qualifi^d.^.nj^nV, w^pu^ : rather. ; decline the; .du,ty.j/|ian^Suliject '.. themselves to the odium.o f ha^'ng their, decisions bailed -in question- . J-ujlgiidg ■by points; ; .while being, ,-lhei rsp^n.dest> system,: would- lieonqeiye,., prpye ,ais6! the. best way. of getting,, oyer! ;fie diß?/r culties, mentioned. ; , Ev,en; an 'ex hibitpr might; also be :a..judge, s as no pije coj^ld .well know which animal yvpuld carry a. . prize till the numbera corresponding to. . the, different points ; , were summed -> up. Judges! . frould. • , never .[be , , so ; jikely . tip , differ^as to whether. vany„ given .pp^n.t, in , an > animal was good,! ,pad, or 'in-. different,! and jthusj the , : very,,. natural prejudices of adjudge „for. some ..special : strain of blood would be met or obviated, , Under; theipresent system, I. have often" at.shows foretold (after inferior animals' had been' dropped offiyand, those in, the. ring reduced ito , two : pr three)- wnich; would.getthe prizeby;, seeing. wKo was. the leadihg.man amongst., t;be, judges,;' at! d knowing his favorite strain of bipod..' I do not believe that judges wpuld. at all object tP decide by.ppints, ., as. they, wpuidhe able by undeniable data to come more easily,. to a satisfactory decision. I. have .often known judges regret , their, decisions, especially , those who. had yielded up an opinion to , tne strong will of one of their;.number..who had pertinaciously urged .his views of color, style, and blood in favor of an animal, it. may; be,, with ,$ glaring defect . Jiidges, I think, would prefer the points; as a plan which would clearly show to jail interested the ? reasons which carried their decisions. , These could be set forth in the awards., Printed skeleton form cards, could be provided with the numbers filled in against the, various points, and, . summed up .by a clerk— say 60 points, good j3s points, indifferent and 0, bad ; and numbers for. features specially good. could be added.; Such cards ~ attached ; to;. each, animal would prove interesting, valuable^ and instructive tp breeders,: students,' and. agriculturists generally. ,, The .merits, and defects: of .the. animals ; would be manifest', to ? the visitors., /The. Council, of the Royal English ;-.; Society,.., 'with. their ' t intelligent , -, secretary, ; wputcl, . if necessary, by theji.aid j.pf . short-born bteede^s and? first. iclass butchers, , easily;, fix. tlie icomparative value of ;i points.' I am sure :this : .system;WPuld : giv.e great satisfaction to exhibitors*. .ItjWpuld be worth for^breeders of shorthorns to join in offering, a handsome, prirp, tp be decided, by points. The two systems could then be compared 1 have no doubt as! to which would carry : . the day.; /Mr.. ■■ Bruce says truly that judging : by points, is no longer a novelty or a mere experiment, as it has; been, tried with, success in America' and Australia, as well as. in this' country. 'If tmistakeiipt, itistu'e common, practice at dp^ shows. :