ABERDEEN-ANGUS CATTLE.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15603, 30 May 1916, Page 4

ABERDEEN-ANGUS CATTLE.

In view of the importance of meat production in every cattle country in the world, the Aberdeen-Angus Cattlo (Society of Scotland have issued an excellently got-up pamphlet giving a record of triumphs and tributes of tho breed. Tho show record alon© during tho past twenty years or so in tho United .Kingdom and United States places tho breed above all others from | tho beef point of view. In other countries it has not> gained such a high position, although it is increasing its nold in tho Argentine, couth. Airica, and Queensland, ana is regaining in UlO Aorta island a position i t once neid in tho Soutn island ot JSew Zealand, where tne cutting up of large stations in Utago and teoucniund. brougnt about tho dispersal of the herds. Wiiea turned out on large cattle runs, tne Aberdeen-Angus is apt to become very wild and stubborn to handle, and this probably wi4 be found tlie ease in Vjueensiand. In this respect the Hereford and Shorn horn possess distinct advantages. Tho pamphlet referred to ilivcs a.ll interesting history of tho riso «_ f tlio breed into popular lavour in the United Kingdom. Tho breed is indigenous to tho north-eastern corner of Scotland, where ;t has been maintained since as early as the sixteenth century. With the opening up of tho country by means of better communication tho breed began to spread to other parts of Scotland, as well as to England and Ireland. Tho cattlo wcro found "to thrive under various climatic conditions, and they brought larger prices than any other class of cattle. One of tho early improvers of the breed was Mr Hugh. Watson, of Keillor, who from the foundation of his herd in 1808 to its dispersal in 1860 paid systematic attention to the improvement, .of tho breed. Ho won over 500 prizes in that interval, and also exhibited tho iirst Aberdeen-Angus ox at the SmithHeld Show in London, tho precursor of so many famous winners there. Mr Watson had an ardent supporter and follower in Mr v Wm. McCombie, who, between tho years 1850 and 1880 was instrumental in greatly developing tho interests of tho breed by tho success which attended his effort*; as an exhibitor at the Smithfield and other leading shows.

What first brought the ftroed into greatest prominence, however, -was its success at the great international exhibitions in France. At the Exhibition •of 1862 an Aberdeen-Angus steer won the supreme honours over all French and British breeds. The breed was so greatly admired that the Emperor of the French started a herd of AberdeenAngus cattle. At tho Exhibition in 1878, in tho competition for the prize offered by the French Government for the best animals for breeding purposes in the sections for cattle other than French, a. group of AberdeenAngus were placed first, and another group of tho same breed second, among seventeen different breeds that competed. _ The breed also won the champion prize for the best group of beef-r producing animals, against all. other breeds. These notable successcs led to an extensive importation of Aber-deen-Angus cattle into Canada and tho United States, in both of which countries there are now many very largo herds of tho breed. In tho United States Aberdeen-Angus cattle have enjoyed great popularity, as well as distinct success at tho fat stock shows, and sell at enhanced prices in the stockyard sales. Th© American AberdeenAngus Breeders' Association was formed in 188U, and now about 200,000 animals of the breed have been registered in tho Herd Books of tho Association. In' recent years numbers of AberdeenAngus cattle have been, exported to the Argentine, and tho breed is steadily growing in popularity on account of-its suitability for the frozen meat trade for tho British market. The breed is also being taken up in South Africa, and tho reports a s . to how they are doing there have been very satisfactory. The Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Society was formed in 1879, and has issued forty volumes of tho Herd Book, and the last volume issued in December last contains the names of 443 different breeders iu Scotland, England, and Ireland.

A large amount of interesting information is given regarding the principal show records of the breed. At the Smithficld Show, during the past twenty years, the' championship was won by an Aberdeen-Angus ten times, and in the carcase competitions at the same show during the past I'onrtecn years, purcbrcds or crosses of the breed won every championship and reserve championship but four. At the Scottish National Fnfc Show during tho past nineteen years, tho breed or its crosses won eighteen times. The breed was almost as equally successful at tho Chicago Exhibition as it was in its home country, winning ten grand championships out of fourteen, and a crossbred was also once successful. In the car-load competition at the same exhibitions the breed won eleven out of fourteen times, and in the carcase competitions thirteen out of fourteen times. Further details aro given of the breed's show rccords in 1913, 1914, and 191-5 in tho United Kingdom, and also of the average prices made in fat stock markets in England and Rcofcland. tho "Polled Scots," and Ahcr-deeu-Angus bringing more money than any other of the principal British beef breeds. Butchers and newspaper opinions are also quoted, and the pamphlet h well illustrated with photographs ot' j noted championship winners. j