IN-BREEDING IN STOCK.

Matamata Record, Volume XIII, Issue 1140, 21 July 1930, Page 6

IN-BREEDING IN STOCK.

ENGLISHMAN’S VIEWS. . Expert Handling Required. It is always a matter of interest how far in-breeding may bo carried without causing physical deterioration in the progeny. Much depends upon the characteristics of the original stock and the manner in which the v animals are selected to. breed from, vvr.tes “A Shorthorn Man of Forty Tears’ Experi-> cnee," in London “Live* Stock Jouiual." This, means that if the original paront s had size and strong constitutions, unci were of no blood relationship, anu judicious selection has been made of their for breeding purposes in subsequent generations, then in-bveeding may be carried on successfully, In-Breeding with Shorthom s Without in-breeding it is impossible to fix a type, and when a type is fixed it cannot be maintained without a certain amount of close breeding. In referring in instances of in-breeding as a means of fixing a type and improving a breed, we alway 3 seem to fiy to the work of Bates, Booth, and Cruickshank in fixing their respective types of Shorthorn, i In-breeding has been carried on in •other breeds as well as the Shorthorn, but none of these breeds were put to so severe a strain as the. Bates and Booth Shorthorns at one period, and the reason why the . Shorthorn is so often pointed out a 3 the one breed that suffered more than a:uy ocher from the evil effects of in-breeding is because, as the result of the mad craze for pure blood and straight-bred pedigrees, the most, useful points of the breed were nearly lost and deterioration set in to such an extent that the breed was in danger of losing its position a s head of the bovine race. Cruickshank Cattle With the Cruickshank cattle it was different. Close breeding was not pursued in their case for many years; in fact, it was only after the birth of Champion of England that in-breeding was carried on to any great extent. In that great sire Cruicksnank saw the type lie wanted and fixed that type by close breeding to his blood, and he was able to do thi s without injury to the constitution of his animal? by the careful selection of his breeding stock, no doubt due to the fact that his original stock wa s exceptionally strong and vigo.ous, and entirely unrelated. Nowadays most breeders try to steer as clear as possible of any form of consanguineous mating, although without x it is very difficult to breed stock up to a definite standard. And, again, when that standard has been attained there is the difficulty in keeping the an.mals up to it. Unless llurt i s skdlful handling of the subject the type may be lost, and the standard of " merit sunk to a lower level. Injudicious Selection The fresh blood brought in by an outcros? will create greater vigour even if it changes type, but then the type must be regained, and it is only by the green vegetables and clean water, batter or dripping weighs Boz One lost typo can be recovered. But what i s interesting to learn is how far can in-breeding be carried without causing physic;.. 1 deterioration, which means loss of size, sterility, delicacy of constitution, and so forth? It can undoubtedly be carried to greater lengths whore *he animals are carefully chosen and judif lously mated. Signs of deterioration are often apparent in loosely bred as well a s in closely bred herds. It is unwise to breed from any undersized and weakly animal, even if mated with an animal of another breed, but it is doubly unwise to in-breed from such an animal. The tact is, that the injudiciou 3 selection of breeding stock can lead to failure a-: much in unrelated stock as in closely bred stock. It all depends to a very great extent on selection of the tr’-eec’ing fet-cik.. If undersized, weakly animals are in-bred from in a herd the vitality of the herd is- bound to fail. Constitution vary in animals just like any other features, so that it is most essential to pay every regard to ’Constitution in the selection of breeding stock. Even in cross-breeding, if delicate animals are mated with one another, the progeny will assuredly be the same. Like produces like, and. therefore, if animals alike possessing tho'same faulvs are mated with one another the offspring on that principle must inherit those faults, no matter what relationship the parents may bear to each other. By in-breeding desirable qualitie s can be gained and retained, but at the same time, unless great care is taken, undesirable qualities' can be even more easily gained. Commercial Stock

Our commercial stock is suffering to some extent from the lack of study of the principle of heredity. Just as many pedigree breeders have gone wrong in pursuing the system of in-breeding without judicious and careful selection, So many breeders of commercial stock are producing bad animals because they exercise no care or judgment in the selection of the females they breed from or the sires they use. Where breeding stock is injudiciously selected the result must be failure. It is most important that commercial stock should have typo and character about them indicative of good and careful breeding. Let it be borne in mind in choosing a sire that a. moderate looking animal from a first-class herd is more likely to leave good stock than a better animal from an inferior herd. Breoder s earmol be too careful in obtaining knowledge of the herd from which they think of securing a stock bull,, and this is just as important in breeding commercial stock as in breeding pedigree gtock.