CATTLE.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9882, 12 November 1897, Page 6

CATTLE.

It should be the proud boast of the farmers of the South Island that they can produce more and better-conditioned cattle, both in respect of the beef breeds and the milking breed, than can be given in any other part of the col»ny. The stalls at the show were witness to the fact that there are some superior tattle, but why there ehoulci be a falling off in the entry on last year is not explained. It may have been due to the very dry winter and" spring that the lowing herds should not be in the condition which exhibitors want them to attain for their purposes, bufc in any case the entry of 140 showed a falling off from last year's return of 52, but then perhaps the last show held the record, both in shorthorns and dairy cattle. It is satisfactory to again note that the show is open to all countries in thft world, and it may be held that if there (mould be any superior cattle to these sent for exhibition, the loss through their non-entry falls on the owners who had not enough enterprise to compete. Although the country is pronounced to be in the highest degree suited for high-class dairy management, with its luxuriant pastures, pellucid strewne of water, and frequent showers, where dairy cows may be kept on grass for a longer period of the year than in any other country, we were aomewhat disappointed ftt the meagre entry in section 24 for milking cattle, and can only express a hope that in the future a more special effort will be made to show that our farmers are really anxioue to win some of the large and profitable trade of the world with butter and cheese. This Canterbury Show is looked to in order to afford some proofs as to which are the best milking cattle, and how to produce them. The stud cattle were all through a fine lot, and would take a deal of beating in any show yard south of the equator. Where the entry might be limited the quality was etill an appreciable item. We did indeed mias the little Breton cattle, likewise the Highlanders Sgithach and his follows and the, Dutch Friesian bull, " who must be led with a ring through his nose," had not entered the lists. Though tho Ayrshire ranke were thinned in the way of number these formed a section of the show on which the visitor cotilrt dwell with pleasure and profit for some time. The cattle returns for the colony show that last year there were 1,138,572' head, of which, while Auckland, Taranaki and Wellington can claim the largest returns, the cattle in Canterbury were 94,930 and Otago 185,109, the dairy cows of the South Island being 115,538 head. The value of butter and cheese exported last year for the colony was valued at £281,716 "and £130,166 respeatively, and a large export trade Was done in preserved beef, hides, &c. SHOSTHOP^S. The entry of shorthorn cattle stoo.l at 69, including the section for cattle the property of farmers not owning or renting more than 500 acres, as compared with the same number in that portion of the Show last yeir. In class bull of any age, Mr J. Cntmiugham's Blithe Duke 7th, five years old, with a taking colour, well set up, fine head, level back and well arched neck, which -.vas first in his class last year, and lias visibly improved, doing credit to Duke of Gunterstone, hie sire, was first. The second prize taker was met in Mr J. Johna's Lord Salisbury, a handsome, heavy red, bred by Mr W. Gabbie, which hat been a previous prize taker as yearling, two-year old, and in the farmers' class, as well as at I the winter show. Mr Gabbie'a Peers Florist. Duke of Gunterstone —Flower of Brunswick 7th, was third, and is in all respects a sire of great merit. The winners of this class and several of the champion prize-takers for their respective yeara ou the Canterbury Show Grounds have been :— 1862—Mr J. S. Cavei hill's Regicide 1863—Mr J. Williams' Stentor 1864—Mr W. De Troy's Prince Edward 1865 and 1866-Mr Geo. Gould's Cromwell 1867—Mr J. S. Caverhill's Duke of Edinburgh 1858 and 1869—Mr J. Deana's Romulus 1870—Mr W. Boag's Lord Nelson 1871—Mr Jos. Pace's Plutus 1872—Mr A. A. Fantham's Comet 1873—Mr Jos. Pace's Contender • 1874—Mr A. P. (yCallaghan's Plutus 1875 and 1876—Mr A. A. Fantham's Royal Gwynne 1877—Mr W. Bong's Alphonso 1878—Mr P. H. Russell r s Hastings 1879—Mr J. F. Kitching's Riby Knight 1880—Robertson Bros.'s Oxford Duke of Cambridge 11. 1881—Mr J. Clark's King Riby 1882—Mr J. Deans's Duke of Gunterstone 1833— N.Z. and A. Land Company's Earl of Brunswick 11. 1884 and 1885—Mr J. Deans's Duke of Gunterstone 1886—Mi- Win. Watson's Alvie's Hero 1887—Mr E. Menlove's Oxford Roan Duke 1888 and 1889-Mr W. Gabbie's May Duke 1890—Captain Fisher's Burnaby 1891—Mr E. Menlove's Oxford Roan Duke 1892—Mr H. Hight'sDuke of Borgfeldt 1893 and 1894—Mr J. Deans's Lord Russell IX. 1895-Mr H. Hight's Dnke of Borgfeldt 1896—Mr J. Cunningham's Blithe Duke VII. 1897—Mr J. Cunningham's Blithe Duke VII. The three years were led by Mr G. Seaton's Rosa's Dnke, a red bull by Duke of Borgfeldt, which was shown in pink condition, and has a reputation, having won a first and special at two-year-old, and being first at Kirwee Show. Mr W. Nixon's Waipara Duke, by Flowers Duke 15th, rather on the large side, was second, and has come out fairly well since it was second with the two-year-olds last year. Mr Deans's Russell's Brunewick, sire Duke of Waterston, was highly commended, the judges admiring his size and quality, but he is a trifle narrow. Mr W. Nixon's Champion Duke, in the two-year-olds, has come out well since he took the prize in young bulls of last season. Mr Threlkeld's King of the Roses, which took the honours of the Northern showyard, was second, and is in all respects a most promieing sire. Mr Deans's Russell's Florist IX. was third, hardly coming up to the form which placed him first as a yearling at last show. In yearling bulls, in an entry of seven, Mr W. Nixon's Roan Duke, by .Vaipawa Duke, came out well and obtained the first as well as the special prize, being a nice even handler with plenty of style and substance. The same exhibitor came in for the second prize with Red Boy by the same sire as the former, though this exhibit was on the small side. Mr Deans's was third and highly coramende.i for exhibits Russell's Brunswick IH. and Canterbury Lad, both sired by Lord Ruseell and each presented in very good condition. Mr Gabble's Orphan »nd Mr W. Boags Rosa's Duke were a credit to the class. In young bulls, calved since December, 1896, Mr Deans's Marquis, a promising son of Lord Russell, was first. Mr G. Seaton s red and white by Duke of Borgfeldt, with Mr Nixon's red, were next in order. Coming to the female stock, Mr Deans s Duchesa of Brunswick IX., the heroine of many conteate in the show ring, now wearing ten year, of age, but in all respects » et» tely «J f dime, had to place flower of Brunswick XL, by the same ha* •Iμ figured mm? timm u> tbsshowjard

to her owner's credit and profit, on tbia occasion scoring the gold medal. Mr Threlkeld's Jessie XV., a deep milker, was third. Mr Nixon sent a pair of three-year-old heifers, of which Dewdrop, a small hot good all-rouml one, was first; and Pansy, by the same sire, Prince Royal, was second. In two-year-old heifers Mr Deane had matters all his own with Blithe 21st, with a pretty head and wealth of constitution, first, and Duchess of Brunswick 15th second. The yearling heifers formed a class of seven very taking animals, of which Mr Nixon's Winsome Beauty, by VVaipawa Dnke, wa3 first, and Darlington Beauty second, Mr Deans's Queen May 26th third, and Queen May 25th highly commended. In the class for heifer calves since December, 1896, Mr Deana's Flower of Brunswick 19th easily scored, Mr Nixon's was second and Mr Deans's Alvie'3 Butterfly third. For cow and two of her progeny Mr Deans's Duches3 of Brunswick 9th carried the day. In the section of shorthorns, for farmers holding under 500 acres, Mr Hight's bull of any age, Duke of Borgfeldt, nine years, holder of several prizes, was adjudged to first place, and he is an animal of good quality, Mr J. Johns's Sprightly being second, and Mr W. Dench's Lincoln Hero third. In the two-year-olds of this section Mr Hight's Russell's Blythe HI. received first and the special prize given by Sir J. Hall, Mr Chamberlain's Duke of Rothsay second. Eight yearling bulls confronted the judge, of which Mr J. Johns's Roan Duke received the first and a special given by Mr A. McHardy, Mr Nixon's exhibits, White Duke and Red Duke respectively, second and third, Mr Hight's Ruby'a Perfection highly commended. In the female classes of the section, for cow or heifer of any age, Mr Hight's Floxy by Jupiter took the honours, Mr Chamberlain's fine looking exhibit Queen second, and Mr Hight's Georgina three, the second prizetaker also receiving the highly commend ticket for Countess 111. In tbree-vear-old heifers Mr Nixon was first with Maid of Athens, third in the two-year-olds of last year, and second for Rosma 11., first in last year's two-year-olds, Mr Chamberlain's Queen of Beauties comincr third. For two-year-old heifers Mr Hight's Lobelia was first, Mr Chamberlain's roan, by Thongsleigh, second. In yearling heifers Mr Nixon's roans, by Darlington Earl, were respectively first and second. Mr Chamberlain was able to carry off two prizes with Daisy Bell and Tulip, and with their progeny in the last class of the section. OTHER CATTLE. Mr G. E. Rhodes deserves credit for keeping up a representation of that noble breed the Herefords in his bull Victor, which fully deserved the honours placed to his account by the judges. The black Angus breed was well sustained by the New Zealand and Australian Land Company, Totara estate, which took third prize in the section for beef producing cattle. ALDEHNEY OR JERSEY. Messrs Gould, Mather, W. J. Rilcock, H. S. Harris, and Charles Lewis sustained the reputation of this section by several excellent exhibits, which were visited freely by friends of the Society, who were much interested in the same. AYRSnrRES. There was a falling off in this head, but the Sunnyside Asylum, Messrs J M. Ueid, J. .Tohna.'E. Johnson and others were well to the fore in the exhibition. MILKING CATTIJB. The teets for these cattle were carried out by stripping the exhibits at 6.30 on Wednesday, milking them on Thursday morning at 6.20 and in the evening at 6 p.m., with the following results, ana the prizes given by the Association, Mr G. Gould and the Press Company will be awarded in accordance with the results obtained:— ~> « s~~£ =p a i 1.111! I • t S* $ ="_: : a : :__: ; ~v> oi co ac > co ? ? sr y Jj s , „ 83SSit 5 . ? 9 ff S S g". S= I - a o o o 2 o o* =J 3 B 3 3 -8 3 Efera-JTW weight of Milk. 52 S! |». o X S Kg. Morning. -S~3~i~Pnr"S~Bs" waisht „, MUk. en £ >-* © -o o S2 Evening. ""Vα" , pi •** -o ot -» -*»!zs en oi a> k> ro o> co~ _ _ _ • _ ,_._ Total for Day. hg he > « *^ (x cm .-a en «• f en Percentage of Fat en « b h n c « for Morning:. p< v a « a « u< Percentage of Fat Ui "*> o o< '■» to '-a for Eveningf. is is s is b a s> ToW FAT CATTLB. There was an admirable representation of the fat cattle of the Canterbury district, which waa well worthy of an inspection. In the class of fat bullocks of any age Mr A. E. Tutton's prize animal was the first at the Winter Show, and the second prize taker was a crossbred Angus and Shorthorn from Palmurston North, the third being bred by Mr McPhail, Island Bay, and shown by Mr T. 0. Hay. The four-year-old bullock was a prime be,i3t bred by Mr W. F. M. Buckley, beating nine exhibits, the second shown by Mr Gartorth bred by Mr J. Deans, and the third shown by Mr Hay, bred at Island Bay. Mr S. Sparks gained the prize for three-year-old steer. Mr Gartorth second. Mr W. Henderson received the prize for three-year-old steer bred and fed by exhibitor. Mr Garforth got the prize for two-year-old steer with a prime shorthorn, J. Ferguson's exhibit, bred by Wyllie Bros., second. Mr 6. E. Rhodes was the winner of the prize for two-year-old eteer fed and bred by exhibitor. Mr J. Deans took the prize for cow of any age, and Mr J. Brown for cow or heifer, four-years-old. Mr A. Henderson's heifer three-years-old, bred and fed by exhibitor at Oxford, was a very prime animal, as was Mr Garforth's two-year-old heifer. Mr Eacjlesome took the prize for veal calf, Mr Henderson, jun., second. A weight judging competition for fat sheep and fat cattle takea place during to-day, Friday.