"DODDIE" BULLOCKS IN MARKET.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2581, 26 January 1889, Page 2 (Supplement)

"DODDIE" BULLOCKS IN MARKET.

In many issues of The Chicago Gazette appear, in the column devoted to "Motes from tho Yards," particulars as to Aber-deen-Angus steers marketed there. The prices quoted for such arc always, it is interesting to note, above that of any other breed, cross or grade. I have often thought it would be interesting to obtain i-oiiic particulars directly from tho feeders themselves as to how these AberdeenAngus cattle were bred and raised, and how they marketed in comparison with others. Tho following selections are such as may bo received from every feeder of Aberdeen-Angus cattle, and, besides, the particulars furnished are highly instructive to the general feeder and fanner. With that idea, chiefly, are they sub- : initted ; others may follow: —

Mr 11. 0. Allen, Humstowu. 111., stives me the following details : "The 1-I two-year-olds which I marketed were all the get of one sire, Guolpb Baron 3GIS, out of cows ranging' from the very poorest to some choice gratia Shorthorns. Further, the above steers wero the first get of Guelph Baron, including the entire lot— no culls or throw-outs. They had no feed, either the first or second season, from the 1 Oth of May until fall, only grass. Who says the Aberdeen-Angus cattle or not srood cattle to prize?"' The difference is very marked between these. Aberdeen-Angus grades and the Gillette Christinas cattle. These Gilleties were tho pick of 400 head—as stated in the report of their sale—having been fed on all the shelled corn and oats they would eat from calfiiood to tho shambles, while tho Allen " doddies " were fed in tho open field cm ear corn. " Truly "says Mr Allen, " they have helped more to pay for the homestead than any four loads ever handled before." That is what an Aber-deen-Angus siro can do. His lot were reported in tho Drovers' Journal, Kith December, ISB7. George Abbott and Sons, Woodstock, 111., had a lot reported in tho Gazette, 30th May, IS.S3, and they Write: "There were 1G steers and 1 heifer ; tho heifer was a freernartin, purebred Angus. The steers wero half-blood Angus, their sires being tho bulls we used on our purebred cows—Basuto of Woodstock IS6B and Billy Mahono 2205. Their dams were 8 half-blood Galloway cows, 3 half-blood Red Polled cows, and the balance were native cows graded with Shorthorns—in all 17 head. They wero raised two calves to one cow and sucked until about four months old. They were taught to oat milk fcod while sucking, and wero fed a light feed of corn, oatmeal and bran, twice a day the first winter. They were turned on to grass Ist. May, when one year old, and ran wholly on grass until 17th October. Wo then commenced feeding them shocked corn run through a feed cut ter—made them eat it all. On Ist. February we changed them to timothy and clover with corn and oatmeal and bran and oilmeal, all well mixed. We got them ou full feed about Ist. March. We sold them on 23rd May, this year. Tho lot averaged about 25 months old. They weighed 22,260 lb; average, lu()9 lb., and sold for 5 cents — the highest price of anything sold ou that day. Three other small buuehes brought tho same price, but were heavier and longer fed. We have a small bunch to feed next winter." 11. 13. Hudson and Sons, Currollton,

-Mo., have fed a good many grade Aber-deen-Angus—possibly more than anybody else. They have marketed at least 1:25, and are feeding 50 now. They have put to market four loads (about 70 head), and they always sell better than any other cattle. They "wish they could get all Aberdeen-Angus to feed." Mr R, B, Hudson has been feeding for 35 years, and now the firm feeds about 2000 cattle a year. Mr Hudson says he would give more Aberdeen-Angus steers to feed than any other breed. They buy all their feeding steers in Kansas Oily. In so doing "we got some Herefords and the best Shorthorns," they say, "and we have fed them altogether. The Aber-deen-Angus never fail to get the ripest, smoothest and mellowest, and when they go to market they outsell the Hereford's and Shorthorns from 50 to 75 cents per lOOlfj., or 7dol. to 9dol. per head. We feed eight grade Aberdeen-Angus steers. They were out of grade Shorthorn cows —nothing extra—and by our AberdeeuAngus bull Kabul. We commenced feeding at seven mouths old with shell corn and brail, and continued so feeding until they were 21 months old. When we shipped them they tipped the beam at 14251b. average. They went to market and they topped the market, which the Aberdeen-Angus always do. Most of our feeding cattle are such few AberdeenAngus cattle as we can get. With a big bunch of homed cattle, the polls always take care of themselves and come out good weights and go to market and outsell their homed chums." "As good a test as I oversaw," says Mr R. B. Hudson, '• was that by a MiHarrison in this county. He fed 40 grade Aberdeen-Angus and 90 high grade Shorthorns. All wero in the same lot, ran together, and ate together ; the shorthorns were ;! years old and the Aber-deen-Angus 2 and 3 years old. They were fed in an open lot, as is the practice in Missouri. They were fed coru in husk —ju~t thrown into tho trough. Well, they stayed there and ate together for nine months, and when they were shipped out they went on the same market tho same day, were sold b}' tho same man and bought by tho same man. The Shorthorns brought 4.50 dol. per 1001b. ; tho Aberdeen-Atifras 5.25 dol. per KiOlb. I do not remember how they weighed, but Harrison now is an Aberdeeu-Augus man ! It always makes an AberdeenAngus man of every man after once feelin a lot of Aberdeen-Angus." These aro valuable instances, and with all modesty we Aberdeen-Angus men claim that it is only in conjunction with Aberdeen-Angus that such results can be obtained. All would prefer tho full bloods, note, as much above tlis grado Aberdeen-Angus as the latter is above ail other lircvd>. I may conclude with a quotation from the editorial columns "f your contemporary the Farmers' R viow of late date. Commenting on the late advance in prices, the article opu« I

tinucs :is follows:— u Those who are lucky enough to own a bunch of prime bccfers will reap the benefit, and these parties will in all probabilities be those who have lian the common sense to supply themselves with good grades an feeders, and lvivo laid in an abundant. supply of corn fodder in liou of the poor hay crop. While prices for high diss stock have advanced from 15 to 25 cents per 1001b., and even more in some cases, the grades of poor cattle are appreciably lower. This shows well that on hiyh priced land it only pays to feed improved steers iti competition with the thin fleshed, aged productions of the ranges. The high price of G.7 ; "> dol. was paid for a car load of fancy Mcrefords, but some Angus t doddie' steers went the * white faces' more than one better, making 7 dol. The Hereforda averaged 14671b,, and the Aberdeen-Angus 1505. We have no particulars aa to the comparative ages of the two lots. The seller of the 1 doddies' said his cattle were cheaper to him than the kinds selling lor *2 cents less." The above is such information as ought: to benefit the feeder in the West, R, C, Aulu.