CROSSING BREEDS OF CATTLE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2356, 20 April 1899, Page 4

CROSSING BREEDS OF CATTLE.

The prominent position crossbred cattle have occupied at the leading fat stock shows in the United Kingdom of recent years has abundantly demonstrated the utility of blending or crossing different bieeds, in so far at least as the production of beef is concerned. The showyard evidence, however, does not by any means prove that good results necessarily and invariably follow the process of intermixing distinct breeds. On the contrary, it indicates unmistakably that the practice, to be successful, requires to be pursued with discrimination and method. Not only do the best results ensue froir the mating of certain breeds, but it' is the emphatic testimony of all breeders of experience that the selection of typical well-bred specimens of tliK le.spective breeds' utilised is also a necessary condition. The classes of crossbreds which have .stood most conspicuously to the front at fcjmitlifield and Birmingham have clearly been the shorthorn-Aberdeen Angus cross and the shorthorn-Galloway cross. The latter has greatly improved its position in recent years, and bids fair to rival the former, both in numbers and general merit, if, indeed, it is not already its great opponent's equal in the latter respect. Many hold that the shorthorn-Galloway cross is the best beef animal that can be produced. With the object of testing the relative utility of these popular processes of blending, Mr R. Brydon, the Marquis of Londonderry's agent, conducted an experiment at Seaham Harbour estate. Tho West Highland breed also participated in the trial. For the experiment, four heifers of each of the Aberdeen-Angus, Galloway, and West Highland breeds were carefully selected, and all were mated in the spring of 1395 with a Collynie-bred shorthorn bull. The calves dropped by the heifers were all treated alike Iron? birlh. They suckled their dams till six months old, and were highly fed afterwards so as to prevent them losing their calf fie.sh, but they were not forced in any way with concentrated feeding stuffs. When about two and a-half years okl their average weights appeared extremely satisfactory from a feeder's standpoint, the Galloway crosses, which were unfortunately all heifers, averaged 87st 41b each ; the Aberdeen-Angus crosses, which, on the other hand, were all steers, averaged 99st 121b; and the three Wesfc Highland cross steers averaged 95st and the heifer S2st. The Highland crosses, however, were a mouth, younger than the others. Taking

sex into consideration, there is not any very striking difference in the weights of the different lots. Indeed, the manner in which the two reputed slow-maturing breeds emerge from the ordeal is eminently gratifying, and shows that the moderation of either the Galloway or West Highland in developing frame and flesh almost completely disappears when brought under the influence of the more rapidly-growing shorthorn.

Another matter, however, of far-reaching importance — viz., the utility of the shorthorn and other pure breeds of cattle in the improvement of the common stock of the country, is but slightly touched upon by the results of these and similar experiments, and vast numbers of practical men very justly contend that the influence of the distinct pure breeds in the desired direction is too commonly the reverse of beneficial. This aspect of the subject has recently been bioached by Mr Clare Sewell Read, a recognised authority on British farming practices, stock-breeding included, who tackled h in a fearless manner in a speech addressed to a considerable gathering of influential breeders assembled at a hiring and sale of pure stock. Mr Read, after stating that it is the duty of English cattle-breeders to provide good quality grazing cattle for those who fatten but do not breed themselves, maintained that the character of British lean beasts offered at markets and fairs had declined very much, and that this decadence was chiefly attributable to the vicious showyard system and to the errors of the Royal and leading Agricultural Societies in not taking steps to prevent breeding animals from obtaining prizes which are shown in over-fat condition. He said very truly that only such as a rule get the prizes, and that, although the evil is constantly being proclaimed and cried out against, it is not put down. The crucial point is, however, how the evil can cftuse a decadence in grazing stock, because gxazing characteristics are the qualities most sought after when breeders of pedigree anii mals clothe them with so much fat. Mr Rend is, however, perfectly logical if trouble be taken to trace liis argument. He stales that owing to this high-feeding system, the bulls of pedigree herds are absolutely unfit for tho service of farmers generally, and of dairy fanners in particular, who refuse to have anything to do with them, because if they did the bulls " would pedigree all the milk away." To gome this ma3 r seem to require explanation. The cows themselves which ara mated with the bulls would go on yielding as much milk as before, but the heifers they breed would bo likely to fail in milk secretion very much. Just herein lies the necessity for discrimination in the selection of bulls of any pure breed descended from a line of heavy milking dams. Mr Read's speech had reference mainly to the present-day fashionable shorthorns, and as was to be expected, his outspoken commentary evoked much hostile and unfjit criticism on the part of some of the agricultural prcj-s, to which he thought well to reply. In the .course of the discussion it was established as a fact that were England polled it would be found tint the pedigree herds that through fashion breeding and being subjected to the high-feeding system have luitl milking property sacrificed form only an inappreciably small section to those that cultivate milk. Innumerable shorthorn herds could be pointed out where the whole of the pedigree cows are required to be deep milkers, because their owners have to fulfil heavy contracts, and in such raises, if a heifer when she comes to profit happens to be deficient in milk secretion, she is sure to be got rid of, and her place filled by one that will fill the pail. Throughout England and Ireland, the cow houses owned by dairymen who supply tho cities and towns with milk are rilled by &horthorns, pedigreed and non-pedigreed, nnd grade shorthorns. Even in the dairy premises in and around Edinburgh, where it would be supposed cows of the Ayrshire breed would have the preference, shorthorns purchased in the northern English counties fill the stalls. Cumberland, Durham, Yorkshire, Gloucestershire, and Westmoreland have long been celebrated for their deep milking pedigree shorthorns, and tho profits of breeders in tlitse counties are largely deI rived from the sale of cows at calving to dairymen in and around the principal cities. Tho* fact that the bulls from sifch herds ! are now in very active demand, and command the highest averages realised at j-alcs, satisfactorily proves their iuiriu&ic value foi breeders' purposes.