BLUE ALBION CATTLE

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 53, Issue 3823, 19 October 1936, Page 6

BLUE ALBION CATTLE

THE WORLD’S BEST BREEDS. The Blue Albion, or Blue Grey cattle constitute an extremely valuable cross-breed and derive their name from their bluish grey coat. This colour is the result of mating a Galloway heifer with a White Shorthorn Bull. If an Aberdeen Angus heifer is used instead, these cross-bred beasts are commonly referred to as BlackGrey owing to the fact that black hair slightly predominates in the coat. With this cross 96 per cent, will be polled and of the blue-grey colour. It is in the counties of Northumberland and Cumberland that blue-greys are pricipally bred and distribution through the Carlisle market brings these cattle into almost every part of the British Isles. They are unsurpassed as butchers’ beasts, as they latten quickly, and there are some splendid dairy cattle in this cross. The rapidity with which these beasts fatten is seen by the fact that the average daily gain from birth in weight ranges from 1/75 to 1.82. It is of interest to note that when an attempt is made to mate BlueGrey with Blue-Grey—in other words cross-bred with cross-bred, the results are usually a failure. To be typical a Blue-Grey beast should have a level back, deep shoulders, broad loins, well-sprung ribs, long hind quarters and short, stout, big boned limbs, together with a soft sleeky coat and a beautiful mellow feel when handled. Heifers of this kind produce the very finest of beef and, as they do not grow too big or too coarse, a ready market is always awaiting them.

The Blue Albion Cattle Society, with headquarters in Derby, has done a great deal of valuable work on behalf of the breed.