PEDIGREE STOCK.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4732, 1 August 1924, Page 3

PEDIGREE STOCK.

RECORD PRICES REALISED. LESSONS OF THE SALES. Within four recent weeks pver sixty thousand pounds worth of pedigree dairy cattle changed hands under the hammer in this Island. Even the most optimistic of breeders never thought when such a remarkable number of annual sales was announced—a number beyond all, precedent in this country—that new records would be established and that a satisfactory range of values would be maintained. But the unexpected happened. The sales throughout, with one or twp exceptions, were remarkably successful, and their success was splncdid evidence of the common faith in out great industry. Many lessons arc to be taken from the sales. ' The outstanding one is tl.at ‘f a really profitable return is to be secured from breeding pedigree stock, then the females must be semiofficially tested. Stock from tested ancestry, especially where the dam has a good record, was in keen demand, and where type accompanied the good production records the returns were invariably handsome. Anothei lesson was that buyers of little or no experience, but prepared to spend big money, would be well advised to leave the business of purchasing foundation animals to agents having the necessary' knowledge. Still another lesson, and a most important one, was that if valuable pedigree animals are being bred from the young stock at least should be well done and be brought before the buying public in decent condition. Certainly the majority of pedigree animals submitted for sale in the month of record buying were brought out in creditable condition ; in some cases in admirable form ; but on this score there were a few vendors who have a good deal to learn before they can hope to be successful breeders. —The Dairyfarmer-.