THE SMITHFIELD CARCASE COMPETITIONS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2660, 8 March 1905, Page 7

THE SMITHFIELD CARCASE COMPETITIONS.

1 Among the most interesting and instrac- ; | live features of the great Smithficld Show, I held recently, were the carcase classes ' \ihich have connection with this important annual fixture. This last show was marked by the competitions passing of? with greater ' success than ever, and so the results may , ! be appropriately quoted in connection with 1 the discussion of "The Advantages of Early j Maturity." 1 In the cattle section there -were 29 entries, and it is reported that as a whole the animals were of good uniform quality. , j In the first class, that for steers not \ ' exceeding two years old, there were nine \ entries, "and from among these the place , of honour was accorded to a shorthorn , Aberdeen,- Angus cross. whocl also stood ' at- the head of his class when alive. (Here it may be necessary to explain that entries compete for prizes offered for them when ' aljive.) Thcs animal was 649 years old, weighed 14441b, equal to an average daily < gain, of 21b 4oz. When slaughtered, he gave a carcase of 9661b, or a percentage 0f~66.891b carcase to live weight, and sold at 4s 8d per stone of 81b. The shorthorn Aberdesn-Angu:-. thp«t stood third alive , was placed second in tlie carcase compe- j titio-n, giving a carcase of 759 ib, or a I percentage of 63.67. First in the class ! . for steers above two and. not exceeding , ! three • years also "fell to an Aberdeen- ' Angus shorthorn, and among the heifers an Aberdeen -Angus shorthorn led' the i way. The subjoined table shows at a glance the -winners in each class, with tlie-ii* ' live weight, carcase weight, percentage of I carcase and price : — j — Steers Not Exceeding Two Years. —

The last class had the distinction of ! containing the animal that gave the largest j percentage of carcase to live weight in the ' competitions, this being the crossbred Aberdeen— Angus shorthorn -heifer that | stood third in her class alive, but failed |to be noticed when dead. She was 867 ! days old, and scaled alive 13421b. Her dead vweight Tras 9941b, equal to the great percentage of 78.39 carcase to live weight, i ! This beef fetched 4s per stone of 81b. It . j should be borne in mind regarding the" | prices realised that the prize tickets on i carcases enhanced values to buyers (butch- | ers), who would utilise them for display I on their retail shops.

Three iears. — 1 & Ch. A" -A. shorthorn 1566 1067 68.14 6 8 2. Aberdeen- Angus.. 1487 972 63.36 4 4 3. A.-A. Kerry .. .. 1378 878 63.71 5 6 4. Galloway .. .. 13-10 BS6 66.11 4 2 R. Welsh 1472 S6B 65.76 3 S C. Aberdeen-Angus.. 1300 821 63.15 4 8 — Heifers Not Exceeding Three Years. — 1 & Res. for Ch. Aberdeen A. .. 1170 741 63.33 610 2 A.-A. shorthorn .. 16S1 HIS- 66.32 410 3. Red Pell .. .. 1008 659 65.37 4 6 4. Welsh 1268 823 6i.90 4 6 "R. Aberdeen- Angus.. 1150 722 62.78 5 2 C.Kerry 1108 685 61.82 410

3 « . +> en p^ | | .a>. | S .g § lb. lb. s. a. 1. Shorthorn A.-A. .. 1444 966 66.83 4 8 2. A. -A. shorthorn . . 1192 759 63.67 5 4 3. Aberdeen-Angus. . 1104 -715 64.76 5 2 E. Aberdeen-Angus.. 1077 673 62.43 5 2 — Steers Above Two and Not Exceeding