CHRISTISON, HEWER AND TUDGE AS BREEDERS 117 



The Hereford breed holds sonle wonderful records as 

 grazing beef producers. B. T. Brandreth Gibbs, in his 

 tabulated statement of prizes, has shown " that during the 

 first fifty-two Annual Meetings of the Smithfield Club, when 

 all breeds met in competition with each other, 185 prizes were 

 awarded to Hereford steers or oxen, while only 190 fell to 

 the lot of all the other breeds or cross-breeds put together." 



Hereford cattle have always been in high repute as 

 grazing" animals throughout the midland and eastern 

 counties of England. As range cattle, they are unsurpassed 

 by any other breed, on account of the high quality of their 

 marbled beef, the perfection of their feet and limbs, their 

 activity, docility, and hardiness of constitution, together with 

 their adaptability for crossing with other breeds of cattle. The 

 Shorthorn being first among all breeds of cattle for early 

 maturity, and moreover of a larger build, will, under favour- 

 able conditions, attain greater weights at two to three years 

 old, but on many of the open ranges in the Western States 

 of America the Shorthorn first introduced has given place as 

 a utility animal to the Hereford ; and in competition with the 

 Shorthorn in Queensland the Hereford has proved " more 

 prolific, and less prone to disease, while they mature earlier 

 and travel better, and consequently pay better than Durhams, 

 for the reason that the surroundings are better adapted to 

 this particular breed. 



Robert Christison's Herefords at Lammermoor, Queens- 

 land bred from the herds of Frank Reynolds, Tocal, Australia, 

 Sir James Rankin, Bart, M.P., William Tudge, and Lord 

 Coventry have carried off the honours for a dozen years at 

 the State Pastoral Shows against all competitors. They also 

 hold the premier position in the records of the Queensland 

 Meat Export Company with the average ideal market weight 

 of 820 Ibs. for the dressed and chilled carcase of a grass-fed 

 bullock at four years old the hind quarters weighing 30 Ibs. 

 more than the " fores," with the usual quartering, which adds 

 considerably to the value of the carcase. A bull bred by 

 Frank Reynolds in Australia, was sold in December 1906 

 for 4.00. 



The name of John Hewer, whose active career as a 

 breeder extended over seventy years, from 1803 to 1873, will 

 be for ever associated with the history of the improvement 



