BYGONE DAYS: Farmers not impressed by cattle at Canadian Royal Show

One of the party was Farming Life’s correspondent, Billy Warren, MBE, who reported to Northern Ireland on the Royal Canadian Winter Fair which attracted “visitors from all over the world”.

One of those who travelled to Canada for the Royal Canadian Winter Fair was Co Fermanagh farmer, Basil Fawcett, of Churchill, Enniskillen, who ran a big herd of suckler cows, and a large flock of breeding ewes. He told Farming Life that he had seen “nothing exciting” in the Canadian beef cattle, in fact, he was generally disappointed with the quality and conformation. He said that the different breeds in Northern Ireland were “much superior” to any he had seen in Canada.

Of the Canadian Charolais bulls, Mr Fawcett was most disappointed, he said that they were inclined to be “dumpy and lacked good conformation and quality”. He added that they had seen some good Simmental bulls but, again, they did not “excel the tops back home”.

Commenting on the prices, Mr Fawcett pointed out that Simmental bulls, in the general run, were making less than £1,000 at 12 to 14 months.

Commercial beef cattle prices were 20 per cent to 25 per cent less than the market range in Northern Ireland. Calf prices were only one-third – around £100 – compared with up to £300 and over back home in Ulster.

Mr Fawcett pointed out that while Canadian farmers, who had plenty of home-grown grain to cut their production costs, those who bought in cereals were not so much better off than Ulster farmers. Grain prices ranged from £80 to £100 a ton, compared with about £115 in Northern Ireland.

He told Farming Life: “Weighing it all up, I think Northern Ireland farmers, with higher cattle returns, are doing much better.”

Indeed other farmers on the trip to Canada agreed with Mr Fawcett’s assessment and agreed that while “sometimes they grumble” they had little to complain about.

SECOND THOUGHTS ON EXTREME TYPES

Another visitor to Canada that December was Co Tyrone farmer Norman Colhoun from Mullaghamena, near Omagh. He had made the switch from beef to milk and ran a big dairy herd of Friesian, with a mixture of Holsteins, using some of the top bulls in the country. But, after seeing the big Canadian Holsteins “in the flesh” for the first time he said he had had “second thoughts” about expansion of the extreme types.

“I now feel that the extreme Holsteins are not for me,” he told Farming Life with “a tone of determination”.

He added: “They are bred for indoor feeding and different conditions to our environment. Sure, they give record quantities of milk but their feeding system is different to that in Northern Ireland.

Mr Colhoun was convinced that the heavy Holsteins in Canada could not stand up to the wearability on the slatted system in Northern Ireland, which, he said, was in sharp contrast to their deep beds of straw. He said: “The Holsteins on the Canadian farms need their feet pared at least twice a year.”

CO DOWN WOMAN MEETS PRINCESS ANNE

Of the thousands of visitors from all over the world who attended the Canadian Royal Winter Fair in Toronto none was more thrilled and excited than the wife of a Co Down farmer.

To Mrs Mary Robinson, of Gransha, Bangor, it was a real Royal Show – for she had the surprise pleasure of meeting and talking to Princess Anne.

Mrs Robinson, who was accompanied by her husband, Leslie, was unaware that the Royal visitor was making an official tour of the stands and livestock. The Princess stopped here and there with overseas visitors wearing the royal blue ‘guest’ ribbon.

Mrs Robinson was stunned with surprise and delight when the princess stopped with her, inquiring from which country she came.

“I told her we were in a party of visitors from Northern Ireland, and she asked how many, and how long we were staying,” Mrs Robinson, still excited, told Farming Life afterwards.

“When I told the princess that we would be spending a week in Florida before returning to Northern Ireland, she commented, with a smile, ‘From the extreme cold to the extreme heat,’ and wished us a happy holiday.

“Princess Anne was really charming and friendly, and I was very thrilled to talk to her. The surprise element made it all the more exciting.

“Just imagine going to Canada on a holiday and meeting a member of the Royal Family. Apart from my enjoyable visit to Canada, my meeting with Princess Anne will always remain one of my exciting lifetime memories.”

Two other Northern Ireland visitors, Co Tyrone farmers, James Patterson and Norman Morrison, both from Seskinore, Omagh, also had the privilege of talking to Princess Anne.

They were in the poultry hall of the show when the princess greeted them, and commented on some of the interesting exhibits and rare species of birds.