EARLY MATURING STOCK—THE SMITH FIELD CLUB SHOW.

Otago Witness, Issue 2401, 8 March 1900, Page 4

EARLY MATURING STOCK—THE SMITH FIELD CLUB SHOW.

Every intelligent breeder, whether o' cattle, sheep, or swine, will freely adnvfc that " early maturity" is an accomplished fact; still, many are strongly of opinion that early maturity is as much indebted to the feeder's art as to the breeder's. No practical man, however, would be so foolish as to deny that there is a difference ; but the difference i& very much smaller than was thought at one time. One important lesson of British shows of fat stock in recent years is that breeds of cattle and sheep regarded as "slow feeders'' ten yeais ago, if treated generously from birth, will respond generously. A well-bred steer or heiter of any of the pure "beef breeds" will, under skilful management as to food, increase at the rate of 21b live weight per day to the age of two years ; but if kept on, although The amount of food consumed will be greater, the dailj- increase of live Aveight will at best not much exceed lib. In sheep-feeding, again, the greatest daily gain is made while the animals are under the age of 12 months. When over that, no matter how pampered, there is a notable falling off in the average daily gain of live weight. The like results attend the feeding of what have been termed Ihe '"inferior," breeds of cattle and sheep, when these are supplied from early age with the best mixtures of food most conducive to their rapid development. The maturing of cattle and sheep early, if intended ultimately for British meat markets, is now virtually compulsory. Within the last decade the tastes of the British population, in the matter of animal food, have undergone quite a revolution. The meat —whether beef or mutton — of old animals is now a drug in the mariketSi Small joints from well-fed

animals having the fat well marbled with the lean are most in cltmund, and command the highest prices. The flesh of a young •animal is more nutritive because moie easily digestible than that from the carcase of a more matvro animal. This fact, and the trend of British markets in confirmation, must be more practically recognised than hitherto by breeders and feeders of stock for the Home maikets ii their pro■ducts of beef and mutton are to grade higher than requirements for third-class retailers.

The results of Hie competitions nt tlio 'Snuthfield. Club annual s-how of fat slock are regarded <is strong evidence oT ilie r<sl:i'tive capacities of the various breeds of cattle, sheep, and swine for acquiring fiefdi at an early age. As verified statements of the ages of the animals at time of entry are insisted upon by the club, the further evidence ■wanted iipon the important point is supplied by the weighbridge hi the show yard. As the particulars should prove instructive to breeders and feeders in this colony, the following table has been compiled from more detailed figures in the Mark Lane Express report : — Av.ep\gk Haily ("Sain of tub PnizK AyiVMs,

{• MixiiFiELD Club Show, 1 ecembkii 1899. CAITLE

SHEEP.

Dfcvo^s. • ! Si-ocrs t'n-ier 2yrs ol' 1 S!cer& over 2ivs aud in der 3yra ■ Hoiferf uni'er 3yis .. HKR' FOTiDS. Stee s under -yrs Steers over 2yis and under tJ . Heifi r.-- uii-1< v 3ji-3 .. Phoktiioiin? 1 . Stee-rs linger 2yrs Sti ers over 2yrs and limit r 3yrs Ileifertr unilpr 3yis ... Sussi'X. Steers un er 2jts Sieers over 2jts ;nd under 3^ rd Heifers linger 3ys ... i ED Polled. Steei s nt d r ~yra Steers over 2yrs and under 3yis Heifejs under 3yr* .. Abekdkkn Axous. Star i-3 undtr 2j rs S'esis over 2\i's an under 3y s Heifers unc'ei- 3yis ...' Galloway. | Steers under 2yrs . . Streia over 2yrs ai.d under "yvs Heifers under 3yra .. "WELSH. Fteera uuder 2jrs Steers over 2yrs and under 3yrs .. Heifers un-iir 3yrs ... Hjohlakd. Sfeeis under 3jrs M e<-vs or oxen oi er 3yrs Heifcri imder 4yra ... G'ROSSBUEn. Steers under 2jri Sfcters over 2yra anr unde 3yis Heifeis unde> 2yi-,s .. Heifers ovi r 2j rs and under 3rrs ... Kkrky Dexter, axd Shetland. 9 Steer 3 under 2yrs Stce s over 2yrs and under 3yis H"ifeis under 3yrs ... Small Crossbri-.d. S teei s under 3y rs He iftly un der 3y rs . . Ages F.om | ! Dave. 532t07:7 1027-1 Or 0[ 914-10-6 CSS- 712 9*B mF4I 09M05535- 7-3 IO:C-1OF9 ;o- 4.10^0 6 8- risj MW-10S3 868 1030 655- 723 1013-1015. 863j 593- 7ssl| ' Psl-10S4 ' 573-1078 • iik. ! iv>=. K3S-147S 1-S7-3 07 '398-1731 ITO-lfiS llßti-131U IM-13J 15-4-1653 1 S7-2-41 |15!2- 93=i V6l-VS"! 134Q-1839 1 45-1-93 1340--58' IPS 2 50 I •2nß--:053; 1 -P5-1 95 i72S-!yi7|lC6-i,S4 1:72 1541 i 1 96-2-16 171-2-18 7, 1-63-1 77 12^2-1 92 ->i IMS-1-86 1190-ItKO 1-65-2-42 ,1003-170^1 IW-1 «7 ]4.56| 166 USO 1439 1-75 2-35 trSfi-1755 V59-IS4 1557-'S:O 141-173 1211-1390 IT7-1 "91 15*7-^964 l-5"»-187 1372-1598 1-S7-1-50 1392-17^ 1 flr-2-41 If ß7 2060 1 55-1-90 l£4Sl!) 7 1-53-1 SL 1 3."51576, 1-43-2-J5 94"-2"20 1 3f5-l 49 13i'2-14S-3 1 09-1 42 1436-1574 2-OS-2.-2) '105 2171 1 97 2-32 1280-137!) 192-1-97 jISSO-:045f 183-2 IS ' 857- 977 l-£ 3-1 5) 90S 117S 0 -93-1 -25 5(3-1004 0 9:'-l-28 1 11 8-1 7Hfl| 1-12-1-93 Kin.l-T.SS MBi ■A^ I (81- 721 SfiO-1047 993-106". 705- 722. 1031-1087 Si 3 1050 730- 9-!2 1302-144? 972-1307 I 670- 713 902-10Sf: 68S- 6<!S 952-1040J I 630- 6f-3' i P37-1035 t23-HOS 9f6- 996 62P-10i9

Agfs IT om. Weights From. Average Dai'y Gain. t LEICESTERS. Wether lambs under 12 months Wether sheep over 12 and under 2'' months BORDEK LEICESTEKS Wether lambs under 12 months I Wether sheep over 12 and under 24 months Cot.- wolds. Wether lambs under 12 months Wether sheep over 12 and under 24 months Likcoi<ss. Wether lambs under 12 months Wetlii-r sheep over 12 and under 24 months Kent or Bomney Marsh. Wether lambs under 12 mon'h3 Wtther sheep over 12 and xindi r 24 mnnths Down or otjieii Puke Long- woolkd Urefds We'her lambs ut.der 12 moEtho Wether sh?ep over 12 aud und< r 24 months Ciifvics. Wether 'ainbs under 12 months WetliH- sheep over 12 months MOTJIVrAIN JBIIKED Wethev thtey over 12 moi t'.'s Soutiido\vj>s. Wether 1> nibs under 12 months Wether s-heep over 12 and under 2t months Hampshiiib Doms. We'hur lambs undei 12 months We I . her sheep ovev 12 and under 24 months Suffolks. Wether lambs under 12 months Wether sheep over 12 and under 24 months SirnopsumES. Wether lambs under 12 months Wtther sheep over 12 and undtr 24 months Oxford Downs. Wether lambs under 12. months Wether sheep over 12 aud under 24 mouths Dorset on any otheb PUHE f-HORT-WOOLED VfiiSKD. Yw-thor bmbs undci 12 months Wether sheep over 12 and undtr 24 months CiIOSSDRED. Wether lambs under 12 months Wether sheep over 12 and under 24 months We^er cheep, fir.it cio' s from Cheviot, Scotch, and Mountain breeds, over 12 cuid und.er 24 months Days. lb?. lb?. 242 |i'J3i;a44B 1-S5 607 78?-804 1-29-1 32 ! 2C5 452 170 628 710 1-13 i 263-303 575-552 1 90-2-22 637 814 Tl2 i LS7-294 653-630 2-11-219 t37-651 985-1018 1-54-1 -57 249 457-514 1-83-2 06 007 784-912 1 23-1 50 £73-287 507-638 176-2 34 637 7SS-886 1 23-1-40 £26 256 423 46C i 1-64-210 591 621 640-687 1 08- IMG 531 C4O-G73 1-08-1 -13 C73-2P4 438-483 1-SM-61 637-644 513-6:14 O-SE-101 310-317 i j 609-65S 1 93-210 C4l G7S 804-Sl4 110-I -25 280 287 621-664 1 93-2 26 051 | 843-BCS 1 -29-l-o3 273 422-4Sti 1-51-1 78 6-7 754-75S 1-17-1 IS 294-321 542-600 1-81-1-86 637 767 120 554 C2l 1 71-1-S5 688-700 SO7-816 115-1-21 273-204 COS 632 21J-2-21 637 SOS-SlB 1-26-1-2S . 538-607 1-22-1-39 722-826