SMITHFIELD CLUB

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21247, 29 July 1932, Page 14

SMITHFIELD CLUB

EARLY RECORDS A recent issue of the Monthly Letter to Animal Husbandmen, published by Armour's Live Stock Bureau, United States, contains interesting information relative j to beef cnttlo breeding in Great Britain a century and more ago. It appeal's that, the Sm'i! hfioid Club of London was founded in 1708. It had for its object the improvement of stork of the conn try, and particularly the bringing out of the principle of enrly maturity, which i:- only another instance of the application oi quick returns in trade to agricultural matter." In 1303 the Duke of Bedford, at the annual dinner held during the show, noted " the gradual banishment of numerous coarse and unprofi'ablc breeds from our pastures, and the supplying of their place with breeds disposed to enrly and per feet maturity." We (;•' her (hat the term ' early maturity " in those days, as it is to-day, was used in a relative sense, and probably meant fi'ting a beast for (slaughter at about five instead of seven or eigli! years. Maturity also evidently meant a maximum of condition, for 'bo adage "too dear to buy. too fat 10 eat," as applied to show exhibits, seems to have been coined early in the 19t.1i century. Though apparently not shown at Smith field it, is worth noting in passing that Charles Colling'* famous Durham Ox " was alive about the date to which the above notes refer He was calved in 1796, and travelled in England and Scotland un'il 1807, when be met with the ac cide.nt that necessitated slaughter His live weight at five years of age was 30241b., and in spite of having lost con dition after the accident and before the slaughter, dressed at 23641b. In addition the " Durham Ox " produced 1561b. tallov nn'd a bide 'bat weighed MH'b.