426 



The British Friesian. 



[Aug. , 



greater production of butter-fat consequent upon the greater 

 yield. 



Dual Purpose Value. — These cattle are large framed, and their 

 ability to put on flesh, especially when dry, is a special recom- 

 nt mdation, as more milk and no less beef in a herd find favour 

 with the majority of farmers. Steers of the breed grow to a 

 great weight and make first quality beef, and it may be men- 

 tioned that a pure bred steer was the Champion Farmers' Beast 

 exhibited at the Norwich Fat Stock Show in 1921, and that a 

 steer sent to the Smithfield Club Show, 1921, was the heaviest 

 beast of its age on exhibition. 



Herd Book. — Ten volumes of the Herd Book have now been 

 published, the last containing entries of no less than 1,408 bulls 

 and 3,599 heifers, all of which were born and registered for 

 entry in 1920. A recent census taken by the breed society 

 showed that the number of registered animals in the possession 

 of Members of the Society in the United Kingdom approximated 

 20,000. 



Prices Realised. — In the year 1921, 2,808 lots were sold at 

 public auction for an average price of £124 2s. 9d., while in 

 the previous year 2,088 lots realised an average price of 

 £167 10s. Od. The highest prices were obtained in 1919, when 

 ],893 lots were sold for an average price of £174 5s. 5d. In 

 1911, the highest price given for an animal at public auction 

 was £58 lis. 0d., and in 1915, 340 lots were sold for an 

 average of £39 5s. 2d. The present strength of the breed is 

 indicated by these figures, although of course the value of all 

 classes of stock has risen considerably since 1915. 



0w 7 ing to the long interval between the closing of the ports 

 to live Dutch cattle and the formation of a Society to establish 

 a Herd Book, the characteristics of the breed were impaired to 

 such an extent that fresh blood became necessary. This was 

 obtained from Holland in 1914, the animals imported being 

 highly successful in improving breed type, symmetry and 

 quality — in fact, in making the modern British Friesian breed. 

 Another consignment, this time from South Africa, was 

 obtained in 1922, when the 83 imported lots sold at auction for 

 an average price of £1,242 15s. lOd. These two importations 

 w r ould seem to be completely justified, in the first case by the 

 successful results obtained in herds, and in the latter by the 

 very high prices paid for the South African Frieslands. 



