OAKBOURNE SHEEP AND CATTLE SALE.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume II, Issue 136, 17 February 1874, Page 3

OAKBOURNE SHEEP AND CATTLE SALE.

(From the Napier Telegraph.) The first of the annual sales of Cotswold sheep and stock took place at the Oakbourne Station on Friday last, and whatever might have been the anticipations respecting the venture, the result far exceeded the most sanguine expectations of all concerned. We must congratulate Mr. Canning, the enterprising breeder, on the unqualified success which has now attended his efforts for the improvement of the breeds of both sheep and cattle for several years past, and we feel sure that now the attention of our settlers is roused to the fact that “ blood must tell.” The great service rendered to the community generally by Mr. Canning, in improving the staple productions of the province will always result, we tnist, in such pecuniary success as was attained on Friday, sufficient to repay the expense and trouble incurred by the breeder. Mr. Canning, in introducing these annual sales, is but following the example of the most eminent breeders of the old country. The cattle sold by him were superior

in quality and breeding to the sheep, as was evidenced by the high prices realized. A magnificent young bull, sixteen months old, of the Bates blood, by Crusader, dam Gazelle, was bought by Messrs. Nairn Bros., for the sum of £2OO, and considered by the buyers cheap at the figure. Of Messrs. Naim s cattle, the fame of those gentlemen as breeders was fully sustained by the quality of the animals yarded by them on Friday, though the prices obtained were not equal to their merits. The aged pure Cotswold rams brought prices varying from £39 to £5 os. A pen of three 15-16th ram lambs were knocked down to Colonel Herrick’s bid at £7 15s each. The first eleven pens of jth ram lambs averaged within 10s of £7 per sheep, a very gratifying result to the breeder. The J-bred ram lambs were all passed at the upset price of £2 per head ; the taste for high blood prevailed, and they are still left in the hands of the breeder. Though not so fine as the Jths, they evidently possess strong constitutions, and carry remarkably heavy fleeces. The Crusader steers tnree-years old brought on an average over £8 5s each. Good strong steers sold readily at £7 each. This, with a private sale made by Mr. Canning of 1000 Merino ewes (Tiffen’s) to Mr? Williams, of Te Aute, mostly full mouthed, at 8s per head, closed the transactions of the day on Mr. Canning’s account, making the gross proceeds of the sale £2,200, a very gratifying result to the owner. Cattle. —Thoroughbred Stock—- “ Grand Duke of Oakboume,” 16 months old, by Crusader, dam Gazelle, imported, vide New Zealand Herd Book, Messrs. Nairn Bros., £2OO.

The “Abbess,” by the Abbot ofßissington, dam Dairy, imported, vide New Zealand Herd Book, rising 3 years old, Mr. M'Hardy. £63. The “ Nun,” by the Abbot of Rissington, dam Dairy, imported, vide New Zealand Herd Book, rising 3 years old, Mr. M'Hardy, £7O. “ Dairy Duchess,” by Crusader, dam Dairy, imported, vide New Zealand Herd Book, 5 years old, Mr. Knapp, (Wairarapa), £BO. “Dairy Queen,” by the Duke of New Zealand, out of Dairy Duchess, vide New Zealand Herd Book, 8 months old, Mr. M'Hardy, £BO. The “ Cardinal,” by Crusader, dam The Abbess, vide New Zealand Herd Book, 10 months old, Mr. Lowry, £6O. Fat Stock and Dairy Cattle ranged from £3 10s. to £8 10s.

Messrs. Nairn’s Cattle brought prices ranging from £5 to £45, the whole realizing £525. Nearly two hundred settlers of this and the neighboring province assembled, including several of our principal breeders of both sheep and cattle. Before the commencement of the sale an excellent luncheon was laid upon two long tables in the wool shed. At the conclusion of the sale, the auctioneer, Mr. Routledge, in a few pithy sentences thanked the settlers for their attendance on behalf of himself, and Messrs. Canning and Nairn. Mr. Canning then stepped up, and in his usual business like manner thanked those present for the spirited way in which they had, at a certain amount of inconvenience to themselves, travelled from different parts of the province to attend the sale, he also complimented them upon the judgment they had displayed in prefcring the f rams to the | breds; he assured them it would be his study year by year to improve the breed and quality of his stock.