ENGLISH FAT CATTLE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 163, 19 May 1879, Page 2

ENGLISH FAT CATTLE.

In is stated (says an American contemporary) that more than 100,000 persons attended the recent Fat Cattle Show of the Smithfioid Club—"From the heir apparent to the humblest visitor who could scrape up a shilling to pay at the turnstiles." The number of animals present' was Cattle, 182 ; sheep, 15(i; pigs, 64 ; and the prizee distributed, <-£3OOO against £IOO in the year 1300. According to the " London Live Stock Journal," the records of the show for the past forty-eight years indicate that the chances of obtaining the highest prizes are vastly in favour of shorthorns. From 1830 to 1878, inclusive, " no fewer than 20 champion medals were awarded to Shorthorns and 9 to Durhams, practically making 29 out of a possible 48." In the same periods Herefords won 9, Devons 7, Scotch pure-breds or crosses, 3, During the last 10 years shorthorns took G, Devons 3, and a Polled Aberdeenshire the remaining ono.

The average weight of two year old Hereford steers at this latest show was l'ljj cwt. ; of shorthorns, 15.[ cwt. ; of three year old Herefords and shorthorns, 17| cwt. In the class of " older steers or oxen," the average was 18i- cwt. for Herefords, and 21 cwt, for shorthorns One Hereford weighed 30 cwt. ; one shorthorn, 23 cwt. The first prize young shorthorn steer weighed 15 cwt. at 28 months, and a heifer of the same age more than 17 cwt,, and some of the Sussex and Scotch crosses showed weights quite as remarkable, and which, the Agricultural Gazette remarks, " mean continuous housing and feuding on corn from the earliest days." A striking fact about the remarkable weight and fine quality of the prize short- [ horns is that" probably not one of them had an ancestor which cost much over £50." In other words, as the Gazette puts it, the result afforded fresh confirmation of" the efficiency for all feeding purposes, i. e., for all public good, of a class of shorthorns which have of late been somewhat unfairly used by the English agricultural press. ' Oh, these mixed shortthorns, they cry, ' Who wants them V Mr R. Stratton's admirable champion heifer, the second prize steer, Mr Longmoore's first prize steer, Mrßult's champion ox, and Mr C. W. Schroeter's first prize steer, all are very well mixed, and all won against animals more fashionably bred'"

Yet the results, our London contemporary further remarks, were all that any man could wish for, since it is doubtful if better butcher's beasts could, under any circumstances, possibly be produced. It is plain, therefore, that no extravagant outlay in breeding animals is necessary to secure first rate shorthorns—i.e., to produce what' the meat markets and the farmers are specially in need of. This is certainly an encouragement. No man able to find capital to farm with at all need have fears to obtain the best stock at reasonable prices. There was some competition from our side of the water, audit is said that" the American oxen'.were not below any except the very best Scotch and English beasts," and "quite equal to the average." And their presence, together with that of

" some Danish animate," has, the Gazette warns its constituents,," told what keen competition all producer? of any meat short of the very best must prepare them•solves to face," and" must have suggested to those who . are disposed to be laggards some very: uncomfortable . thoughts of being undersold," . •'