HON. ALLEN AYRAULT'S TWIN STEERS. This magnificent pair of steers was exhibited in New-York, and before the American Institute in January, 1818. They were purchased by Bryan Lawrence, and by him slaughtered. Their live weight was 5,522 lbs., their dead weight, quarters 3,450, tallow 512, hides 214, total 4,376 lbs. The following letter from the Hon. Allen Ayrault, fully details all the particulars regarding them: B. P. JOHNSON, Esq., Congress Hall, Albany, 12th April, 1848. Secretary of the State Agricultural Society. At the request of the Executive Committee, I transmit to you some particulars in reference to the cattle mentioned by you. The Twin Steers, six years old in the spring of 1847, were from the stock of Samuel H. Fitzhugh, Esq., of Livingston county, who derived his improved stock from the herd of Thomas Weedle of Ontario county. They were got by the bull Harry, who was got by Rover, dam' Daisy by Wades Eber, grandam Laura, by Marshal Beresford—great grandam White by Rose, by Seaton's Favorite, G. G. G. D. Primrose, by Colling's North Star, G. G. G. G. D. by R. Colling's White Bull. The Mother was a remarkably fine animal, both as a breeder and a milker. She was a cross of the improved short-horn stock of Philip Burch, Esq., of Belvidere, Allegany county, and the native stock of the country. Judge Church was among the first who introduced the improved breed of cattle in Western New-York. It is difficult for the want of sufficient data, to state the exact proportion of the cross in these cattle, but enough is known to show that it was as high as or of pure Short Horn blood. The Steers were purchased by me of Judge Fitzhugh, at two years old. That gentleman, in a letter to me of the 3d inst. says: "The Steers while I owned them, received no other care than any other stock. They were, with other calves, taken from the cow at one week old, and received new milk for a week or two, afterwards skimmed milk until 2 or 3 months old-then turned to grass, taken up in November or the first of December, and fed with hay alone until the 13th or 15th February, then about a pint of meal a day, with a pint of oil-cake a weck, until about the middle of April, then turned to pasture, and the next winter fed on hay in the field, without shelter." They did not, at the time of my purchase, present the appearance of being cattle of uncommon excellence, but were considered as fair, average steers. They were domesticated, broke to the yoke and worked till near five years old. They were always good workers, but were never put to any very severe labor. Their keeping while thus at moderate work, was not more than I usually give to my working oxen or other stock. They received hay, with a small quantity of grain from March, till they were put to grass, but the improvement made under this treatment soon evidenced that they were superior animals, and such was their promise, that, in the winter previous to their coming five years of age, they were high fed, and then in the summer afterwards, moderately fed with grain, about 6 to 8 quarts of meal each per day. For one year after 1st November, 1846, and, until the time that I sold them, I gave them the best keeping that could be furnished, making the whole time of feeding about twenty-one months. The last year of that time, they were kept at the barn on dry feed, averaging about 12 or 14 quarts of meal each, with some carrots, potatoes, pumpkins, &c., and to sustain their appetite in vigor, sometimes ground barley was used, and oats and corn, and sometimes clear corn meal, changing from one to the other. Great care was taken in the quality and preparation of this corn meal, indeed so far as to have some of the corn kiln dried. The cattle were never stabled, but usually put up to receive their.... food, and then exposed to the season with more or less of shed protection. To a roomy yard, with the ground to stand or lie upon, instead of confinement upon a stable floor, I attribúte the great ac tivity and sprightliness of the cattle when at their perfection. Although remarkable for expanding in size, and taking on fat, they were never, what could be called, great eaters. I purchased the steers in the fall of 1843 for the sum of $60 00 I kept them for work 24 years, but as their work was not severe, and they only received the ordinary keeping of my stock, I estimate the expense of keeping over work, at 4s. per week for 2 years, I then commenced feeding them, and for of a year, fed but moderately-say, what equals in expense 8 quarts of corn meal for each per day-being bushel corn per day for 274 days, making 137 bushe's at 4s. per bushel,..... Add hay, grass and attendance 8s. per week, For the last year, I fed them in the best manner-say corn, oats and barley meal, about 12 quarts each per day, and some pumpkins, potatoes, and carrots, equalling in expense one bushel corn per day-being 365 bushels, at 4s. per bushel,-- Hay and attendance 8s. per week, 65 00 68 50 39 00 182 50 52 00 $467 00 This at a liberal estimate, was the cost of the cattle when sold I sold them in November, 1847, for $550 paid down, and a promise from the purchaser, Mr. Calkins, of $100 more, if the cattle turned out well-which promise he has since agreed to make good. I annex a copy of a certificate given by over one hundred butchers and cattle dealers, and the purchaser, who saw the catttle in New York, and certify as to their fine qualities. Very respectfully yours, ALLEN AYRAULT. Certificate of one hundred and six butchers, drovers, and persons judges of cattle. This is to certify, that the undersigned, butchers, drovers, and persons conversant with, and judges of the best cattle produced in this market, take pleasure in stating, that the Genesee Valley Twin Steers, raised by the Hon. Allen Ayrault of Geneseo, Livingston County, New-York, are the best pair ever exhibited in this market. And we further take pleasure in stating, that the price obtained for said steers far exceeds any price ever obtained for a pair of cattle at this market before, by several hundred dollars. GEO. W. ALLERTON, JAMES CRAWFORD, and 104 others, and Bull's Head, New-York, Jan. 8th, 1848. Purchaser. |