ACTUAL, v. ESTIMATED WEIGHT OF STOCK.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 290, 31 August 1910, Page 2

ACTUAL, v. ESTIMATED WEIGHT OF STOCK.

An interesting and useful illustration of the disparity that may, and, no doubt, frequently does exist between the estimated and actual dressed weight of fat stock, has been given in connection with two steers submitted to auction at Messrs Dalgety and Co.'s Hamilton recent sale. The steers were nice quality and well finished, but bidding languished at £9 per head, the owner's reserve being £9 10s, while his estimate of their dressed weight was 9001bs each. This estimate was strongly combatted by Mr E Goodwin, of Matangi, who was bidding for the cattle, and after some friendly controversy, the latter offered to take them at 25s per 1001b, dressed weight, which was promptly accepted. The animals were slaughtered the following day, when the weights were found to be 7031b and 7331b, respectively, making, at 25s per 1001b, a total of £l7 19s, or one shilling lesa than Mr Goodwin's bid at the sale. The occurrence is instructive, and as most of the onlookers at the ring side were of opinion that the estimate of 9001b was not far out, indicates that farmers are inclined to over-estimate the dressed weight of their fat stock. As a large buyer of this class, Mr Goodwin has had exceptional opportunities of ascertaining the dressed weight of fat cattle, and in his opinion a well fatted three-year-old steer seldom goes over 8001b, or a cow or heifer over GOOlb.