CATTLE BREEDING IN SOUTHLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 2397, 8 February 1900, Page 7

CATTLE BREEDING IN SOUTHLAND.

(Wyndham Farmer.)

The high prices current for store sheep have led many farmers to stock their grazing land with cattle, a course which has in its turn caused a considerable rise in the values of this class of stock during the past three months. Those who have been going round the saleyards in Southland for the purpose of buying store cattle have been fully awakened to the fact that the breeding of cattle for fattening purposes has of late years been much neglected. The primary cause of this is undoubtedly the low prices which have beeii current for this class of stock. The number'; of cattle available at present do noi lmfibly fall much short of the demand, but the quality — looked at from a grazier's point of view — is most deplorable. This may be partly attributed to the spread of the dairying industry, which has naturally caused an increase in the number of stock bred from our principal milking breed, Ayi-bhires. We have always adhered to the opinion that Ayrshires and their crosses cannot be excelled for dairy ptvrposes in the changeable climate of Southland; but the very fact of their being, from their natural conformation, in the first rank among the breeds of dairy cattle at once points to their being the reverse of a profitable grazier's beast. This remark may not be palatable to some of our enthusiastic Ayrshire breeders, but if evidence of the truth gi it ia wanted, just let

those who are inclined to question it take a look through the stocks of some of our principal graziers, and carefully note how nany Ayrshires or Ayrshire crosses are to be seen. Take Edendale estate, for instance, the po* tures of which are usually .stocked with somo of the very best fattening cattle to be seen in any part of the colony. There we will find Herefords, shorthorns, polled Angus, and their various crosses in abundance, but m ail that multitude of magnificent specimens Low many show even an ouicroso of the Ayrsii'ra? The difficulty of obtaining an even line of well-bred grazing steers could be testified to by those who are responsible for the buying of: mobs such as we refer to. We do not, of course, presume to say that all the inferior cattle to be seen at our saleyards are Ayrshire cro.-ise?. A large percentage admittedly are so, but we frequently see animals exposed for sale which show some points of almost every British breed, and when all the points are summed up, it would be difficult to point out a single good one. This breeding of nondescripts is helping very materially to ruin the cattle-breeding industry, and also to rum the farmers who persist in following it ap. In breeding cattle, as in breeding every other clas? of farm stock, the male animal should be purebred, and should show unmistakaily the characteristics of the breed, otherwise satisfactory results cannot be expected ; and that much of the deterioration in the quaJity of our glazing cattle is due to a neglect >>f ibis point there can be no manner of doubt. So long as the cows are brought to calve :>[ the opening of the factory season it seems as if many larrnera never give a moment .s confide ration to the quality of the sire used r,n tl eir cows. Thus a race of animals is being perpetuated which is unprofitable to breeder and feeder alike, and we fail to see any direct remedy for the evil except appealing to the pecuniary instincts of breeders. The cost of l earing and fattening well-bred stock is less than the cost of rearing and fattening inferior ones. High -class btock. carefully tended, return a reasonable profit on the capital employed, whereas the farmer who persists in breeding inferior ones seldom succeeds in making ends meet, frequently loses capital, and more often than not ends his career as a farmer in the Bankruptcy Court, But, some may ask, is this inferiority of our cattle solely due to the carelessness of breeders, or can we look for some oilier cause for what is without doubt a considerable national loss? We believe we can. The majority of our oaltle are bred by small farmers, and it is only in certain districts where the food, the shelter, or the attention is such as to suit the proper development of the stock produced by well-hred specimens of our established breeds of cattle. No doubt, this difficulty may be met by improving the farming, the buildings, the she'ler, and also by the education of the people, so as to ensure careful attention to the profitable and proper management of stock. While this is true, it nmst be admitted that if the improved quality of our live stock has to depend upon such radical changes, we must for many yeari to come see the average quality of our " cattle population " much below the wishetl-for standard.