Cattle And Horse Breeds And Their Characteristics

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 946, 12 April 1930, Page 29

Cattle And Horse Breeds And Their Characteristics

EXPERTS TALK ABOUT THE SHORTHORN, ABERDEEN-ANGUS AND THE CLYDESDALE

Recognised in the Old Country as among the most eminent authorities on stock-breeding* of the present day, there were travelling with the .Empire farmers party, which recently finished its tour of New .Zealand, three men whose opinions are valued all over the world. They are i\lr Robert Hornsby, the Shorthorn cattle breeder, IVIr J. J. Cridlan, who breeds AberdeenAngus cattle, and IVIr William Dunlop, the Clydesdale horse breeder. Each of those is an expert in his own right, and their remarks, published in the interviews that follow, have a particular interest for breeders in New Zealand, in whose herds there runs a good deal of the blood of noted British stock.

Mr Hornsby, who cornea from Rilloth, in Cumberland, has bred ■nd judged Shorthorns practically ■U his life. In addition Judging »t the Royal Show in England for Very many years, he has judged several times at South American •howi, and his own cattle are wellknown in the show-ring at Home. In giving a brief sketch of the history of the breed, he stated that it originated ■bout the year 1775, when it was brought under notice by certain Quaker farmers. Durham, and to a lesser degree, North Yorkshire, Cumberland and on to the Solway Firth, he named as the cradle of the breed. In the year 1800 two breeders in the neighbourhood of Darlington—Charles Collins and William Mason—appeared on the scene, and from the stock of these men, Mr Horns[7 said, the best pedigree Shorthorns been bred. They kept their own Private herd books, and in 1322 a Yorkshire breeder, named Coates, got to work, and from the records of cows and sires round the country he completed *he first volume of the Shorthorn herdkook. This was printed at Otley. which then, as now, one of the chief Printing centres in Great Britain. An *uctloneer of pedigree stock named Stafford. having secured a copy of this herd book, kept it until the formation °f the Shorthorn Council, which subsequently, and for a substantial sum, obtained possesssion of this valuable record.

There was great competition for these Animals at Stafford’s sales, and Period is interesting as marking the PGnt of separation between the dairy the beef tvpes of the breed. Two teen, named Bales and Booth, purchased Jjo cows, one of each type. Bates chose tne dairy and Booth the beef animal. The friendship of these two men quickly changed to rivalrv. and at the first Royal Show, in 1845, Booth cabled everything before him with his beef cattle. Mr Hornsby then referred to the nuniker of cattle that were sold to America and to Ireland. “'There is no country in ;ke world.” added Mr Hornsby, “where mere has been such an improvement in Shorthorns as in the Emerald Isle. And breeders there arc continuing to imtheir herds.** . “e also mentioned the part played in •he historv of the breed by the Scottish breeder Cruickshank, the progeny of *kose cattle hold sway in the vast tstancias of South America, and else- ,

where to-day. Although described as “Scotch” Shorthorns, Cruickshank’s cattle, he said, actually came from England.

Record as a Judge. Mr Hornsby stated that he had attended cattle ~ sales and shows for 50 years, and had never missed a Royal Show* for 40 years. In Buenos Aires he had once judged just over 2000 head of cattle in five and a-half days and afterwards was asked to judge the sheep —BOO in all. Referring to his experience as a judge he remarked that an animal always looked best on its right side. He was tremendously impressed with the Shorthorns he had seen at the well-known Otago stud of Mr J. A. Johnstone’s, at Bushev Park. “They were the best ShortnornsT have seen in New Zealand. They are true to type, and all of them fashionably bred/* He added that it was this breed of cattle that had made the wealth of the Argentine, one of the biggest exporters of beef in the world. Aberdeen-Angus for Beef. Like Mr Hornsby, Mr Cridlan, who comes from Maisemore Park, in Gloucester, has judged at Home and abroad, and perhaps there is no breeder better known for his herd of \berdeen-Angus cattle. Mr Cridlan claims that this breed, from the beef-producing point of view, approximates more than any other breed to the butchers’ ideal.

1 “ ’ vw 1 The first record of the Aberdeen- ! Angus, he stated, could be traced back further than any other breed. In Aberdeenshire there were preserved documents giving particulars of an ancient custom, whereby the heir to a property of land was required by his over-lord to pay before taking possession, as a tribute, a certain number of black hornless cattle. These documents were dated 1540. In a historv of Aberdeenshire-, published iu 1806, a Dr Skene gave many particulars of the various herds in the countv, and also stated the many characteristics of the breed and its individual merits on the block after slaughter. He referred especially to that particular tra it—the marbling of the meat which rendered it more palatable than that •of any other breed, with the exception I of the black polled Galloway. ! The earliest pioneers of'the AberdeenAngus were Hugh Watson, of Keillor, ’William McCombic, of Tillyfour, Sir

George McPherson Grant, of Ballindalloch, Thomas Ferguson, of Kinochty, William Fullerton and Alexander Bowie. Hugh Watson’s herd was founded at the time of his marriage. He was given a present of a number of Aberdeen-Angus females whicli he selected from his father’s collection. Those were added to by the purchase of high-class individual animals. His herd became prominent at the Highland, agricultural and other shows, and his animals were among the first entered in the herd book, “Old Jock” being the first in the bull section, and “Old Grannie” first in the females. This cow’s great fecundity created a record which was unparalleled. She produced 25 calves, and died in her 36th year.

William McCombic was undoubtedly the breeder whose successes W'Cre the most impressive and sensational. In 1867 he won at Smitlifield the first championship with an Aberdeen-Angus steer of a remarkable character, “Black Prince of Tillyfour.” After the show this animal was commanded by Queen Victoria to be taken to Windsor Castle for her inspection. So impressed was the Queen that she decided to establish a herd of her own near her Scottish home on the Dee.

I It was McCombie’s foresight that I saved the breed from ext inction when the rage for Shorthorns was at its height in that county and a great number of native cattle were being crossed. His action in forming a herd of the best of the Aberdeen-Angus stock earned for-him the name of “tbe deliverer.” Sir George McPherson Grant formed an excellent herd at Ballindalloch, which today is the Mecca of lovers of the breed. The successes of tbe breed at Smithfield Club Show during the last 30 or 40 years, and also at other national shows, said Mr Cridlan. excelled those of all other breeds. Since 1000 AberdeenAngus cattle at the Smithfield Show, on its 27 occasions (during two of tbe war years there were no shows) had won 15 championships, Aberdeen-Angus and Shorthorn crosses six, and the .Shorthorns six. The carcn’se section of the show—the greatest of all tests —had given similar results. The first test was In 1805, and since that year on Welsh and seven Galloways had won the championship. On the other 24 occasions, the Aberdeen-Angus and its crosses had. been supreme. Merits of the Breed. “The breed has been termed ‘the student of economy,’ ” said Mr Cridlan. The cattle eat less than the other beef breeds and put the fat on level between the hide and the meat. They are free from tiie patches of fat, which ari3 useless to the consumer, and so common to tlie Shorthorn and Herefords. They have the maximum of roast meat, and a minimum of the boiling and coarse parts; they are well developed in the buttocks and roastirigs; the loins and chines are deep in flesh of the choicest quality; the cheaper parts—the flanks and briskets —are deeper in flesh, freer from fat and gristle, and more saleable than any other breed. “At the great Smithfield Show since Mr McCombie's win in 1867, the championship was won on three occasions in the ’eighties by Dr Clement Stephenson* and four by the late Lord Strathmore, grandfather of the Duchess of York, in the ’nineties. I have won it myself six times. “I claim,” concluded Mr Cridlan. “that the breed is very hardy, and in times j of drought and severity of pold it will j survive when others will go under.” Merits of the Horse. “More money has beta offered

for horseflesh than for any other animal,” is how Mr Dunlop champions the horse. Mr Dunlop, whos* home is at. Overslade, Rugby, Is a renowned breeder of Clydesdales. Dealing with the points necessary ir. a perfect animal, lie stated that a horse ought to have a head formed for brains .and a broad, flat forehead. “A horse is one of the most intelligent of animals,” he said, “and I often wonder what some farm horses do think when turned out to rest in a Held on a cold, frosty winter’s night, after a hard day’s work, wet with sweat from its labours, and with a coat of hair which will not dry for hours; and then only an armful of hay for the evening meal. The thoughts of a horse treated in this manner might be better imagined than described.” Continuing, Mr Dunlop said that in nil breeds it was necessary to have tbe legs properly “hung on,” placed on straight, and well under the body, so that the animal might move with tbe greatest ease and liberty. The most perfect breed of horse, in his opinion, was the bloodstock, or Irish hunter. To win his laurels, he could not spare the time to get round corners, therefore hb legs must be well placed, close and straight. The same applied to the draught horse. They did not want him With calf knees —neither hanging over them, nor coming half broadside on. They also wanted a cart-horse with lhat fine sweeping hind leg, which was found in some of the bloodstock, foi propelling power. They did not wanl them with long bare thighs as was sometimes found in Shires, and with no hind fetlocks, going on their toes at ever« step and tumbling over their hind fetlock joints. This did not indicate strength, but the reverse. Nor did they want them with that short bristly liaihat was often seen round the hone. Next, what was wanted was a horse with a nice big upstanding shoulder ai d strong, long neck, well set up on ti e top, not upside down, as was mostly found in the almost perfect little Shetland pony. Then there should he a well-sprung, deep chest, a good middle piece, not like “a skinned rabbit,” such as was often seen in some of the leading Clydesdales in Scotland, which were too refined in the bones, a condition that was brought about perhaps by too much in-breeding in search of quality. Lastly, they wanted a good firm broad back with long flat quarters, meeting tbe middle piece like a perfect Aberdeen-Angus bullock whose loins were neatly and properly laid in.

Mr Dunlop said lie could see no reason why British horse-breeders coulc not evolve some cross, just as the Corriedale sheep had been bred in New Zealand from the Lincoln-Merino cross to suit the conditions. The Corriedale was a race of sheep bred true to character, and second to none. He thought that the characteristics of three breeds Of horses could be introduced into one. for heavy draught purposes. He would hirst introduce the Shire, with its big, !hea»hy carcase, arms and bone and | splendid bounce. He would mate it with j one of the biggest and best bloodstock j stallions he could find. This in time | would go to perfect the hind leg, give long life and endurance to the highest | degree. He w ould then introduce the j Clydesdale with its line sweeping hind |leg, and good hind fetlock and hind foot. I Then he would take the select of this | combination and intermingle and re|cross until a fine type of draught horse |was produced. One might go even further and add another link by introducing the Suffolk Punch, which, to his mind, was the cream of all farm horses-

FROZEN MEAT TRADE

Huge Quantity Handled By The Port Of London Replying to certain criticism that has been made against the expense attached to railing shipments of frozen meat from London to the provinces, the Port of London Authority quotes some interesting facts and figures concerning the trade. In 1909, it states, when the authority • took over the docks, the shipping ot the Port of London amounted to 38,500,000 net tons. In 1928 the total was 55,430,681 tons, or an increase of 3,000,000 tons over 1927. AH the abdVe goes to prove that merchants and producers know where they can depend upon getting the best returns, and all the propaganda as to railway charges from London to the provinces injuriously affecting the prices the producers receive is proved to be fallacious, and may be possibly mischievous, if people are led astray by such statements. In regard to certain complaints from representatives of various outports thai London gets too large a share of the frozen meat trade, the following facts will be of interest: —The imports ol irozen and chilled meat into the United Kingdom from all sources during the j ear ended December 31, 1927, as shown m the Board ot Trade “White Book’ were 978,417 tons. London’s imports %iuring that period were 687,503 tons, t>r 70.3 per cent, of the total for the United Kingdom, and were distributed r.s f0110w5:—324,438 tons, or 47 per ,rent., were sent to Smithfield market, 'either immediately from tile import ships or frorp the cold stores, for sale ,io local buyers. The remainder was jient direct from the ships or the cold stores by importers, distributors, mul-tiple-shop organisations, and others to their agents, depots, branches, etc., in Ihc London area or the provinces. Over 500,000 tons of the above meat for Smithfield market and elsewhere were delivered immediately over the quays at the docks in London from ships to road or rail conveyances alongside, and the total charges paid for port and dock services were 11/- a ton, or less than 1-16th of a penny a lb. Only a comparatively small amount of flic meat imported into London ever incurs long-distance transport charges. A very large proportion is consumed by London’s local population of eight millions, or by the further eight millions within 100 miles of London. For this area London is unquestionably the cheapest centre for distribution. The chemical changes which take place in plants and fodder digested by an animal are now a subject of close study, to see if they can be copied artificially. In the meantime, “artificial farmyard manure,” a close copy of the genuine article, has been produced from old straw and farm refuse but, even so, it is not an entirely equal product.