BRITISH SHORTHORN SALES

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1665, 27 January 1904, Page 65

BRITISH SHORTHORN SALES

There were several sailes of Shorthorn cattle in England during October at 1 which highly satisfactorily prices were obtained and the sales in Scotland were more than ordinarily successful. Referring to Mr Richard Stratton's Duffryn sale, Monmouth, “Mark Lane” says it was wonderfully successful throughout, 'the biddings being quick and numerous, and some high prices were obtained. Rosaline 2nd, of the old Mess Rose family, was 9 years olid, but 71 guineas was reached for her before being knocked down to Lord Tredegar. Challenge, a magnificent red roan cow of the same line of blood as those famous bulls Alto and Flag Signal 5 , was competed for by many breeders; 100 guineas) was soon readied, and eventually she was secured by Sir Arthur Stepeny at 115 guineas, her calf going to Mr Lambert at 45 guineas. Mr Barton., from Ireland i gave 71 guineas for Coronation, a Shorthorn society’s prize winner. Calico Belle, twice a first prize Royal winner, was put up at a reserve of 200 guineas, and was claimed at that figure by Lord Tredegar ; this was the highest price of the day. Victoria May,, a sweet young roan cow with a capita.] udder was a genrail favourite, and made 135 guineas, to Sir Will. Wills, Bart., who also l gave 60 guineas for’ Plume, a heifer that has -■already distinguished herself in the show yard. Mr Walpole Greenjwell, Sir Oswald Mosley, Sir Alexander Henderson and Mr A. D. Aid an d were all buyers cf choice lots among the heifers. The bulls were mostly young, of extraordinary hair and colour. The best of these were purchased by Captain Wliitting at 61 guineas, and Mr Frank 55 guineas, and 50 guineas. The entire lot of 56 head yielded an, average of close upon £47 10s, and Mr Stratton ivas heartily congratulated upon the successful result. According to the “North British.” at the principal autumn Shorthorn sales cf the year in the north first to last the demand was buoyant and the aerages were high. It had been feared that the disastrous harvest, the de>teri,oration of the fodder crop ail'd the complete collapse of the North American demand would prejudicially affect the course of prices; but this fear proved to be unfounded, as the great demand from the Argentine was amply sufficient to balance the loss of the North American demand. . (No ' doubt, the greater proportion of the higher priced animals benight at the north* country gales last week -were bought with the view- of . being resold toi Argentine buyers by another year. No new records of individual prices were established at the auction sales, blit the highest priced animal 'ate the sales, namely, the Uppemiill bull calf Imperial Favourite, was bought by Bailie Taylor at 600 guineas—which is only 20 guineas under the record —and this same calif was resold the same day to Mi* Dean, of Dowsby, Lincoln, for 800 guineas. A new record of averages, however, ’ was established by Mr Marr, who, for his very select lot of eight bull calves, realised the unprecedented average of £2ll 19s 4d. Of course, the kg price for Imperial Favourite, and the greatly reduced numbers of bull calves in the .Upper-mill draft of this year, contributed greatly to making up this record average, and no doubt Mr Man* would have -been very pleased to

do without the record average ai Ivh had gob Jus usual numbers and the same average n»s Mr Duthie, namely, £144 2a 9d for.a.draft cf 22 head. The honours in respect of breeding sires also belong to Uppermill,' as the five bull ca-lves got by his stock bull Rapfca Favourite realised an average of £254 odd, the next, best averages in this respect being Mr ..Duthie’s averages of £llß3 odd lor seven calves got- by Royal Edward, and £139 for seven calves got by Merry Mortfii\g. It is . worthy of note that Mr Fla.tt, of Hamilton, Ontario, was the only representative of North America .at the sales of last, weak, and although lie had the North American field to himself, with the World’s Fair at St. Louis coming on next year. Ins purchases were of the most cautious order. The collapse in the North American boom for pedigreed stock is cf the most complete character.