OUT-CROSSING.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1196, 1 February 1895, Page 6

OUT-CROSSING.

Under the heading of “Seeking Fresh Blood ” an anonymous article appears in the Lvvq Stock JourHcil, which, however, we believe to be from the pen of one of the best authorities on cattle-breeding in England. As the kindred subject of crossbreeding has been extensively discussed hi New Zealand during the last few months we reproduce the article in full : The need of fresh blood, commonly termed “ an out-cross, for a herd long bred within certain family lines is ofteuer recognised than the cause of that need is understood. If when the fact of the need becomes evident the cause of the need were searched out, perhaps we should, in the discovery, sometimes find a guide to the choice of exactly the kind of blood wanted. As it usually happens that the “ why ” is unknown the choice is made in a hap ! hazard way. Thus, in many cases, the improvement expected from an “outcross ” is not realised, and time is lost in successive experiments. In breeding pedigree stock we have to bear in mind the uses and the value of recorded descent, and to seek the “ out-cross ” within the limits of registered families ; otherwise we lose what is often a substantial advantage. If we can, therefore, find the right material within the boundaries defined by registration we do far better in making use of it than in seeking outside a cross which will disqualify some future generations from admission to the Herd Book, and may remain a blot even after re-admission. But for a broader and more practical survey of this subject we must pub aside pedigree from our reckonings, and just endeavour to examine the conditions under which fresh blood is wanted. Sometimes, no doubt, it is needed because consanguinity has been carried too far. But the close observer may find reason to doubt whether that is the case in many of the instances which happen to come before him. Take our beef breeds of cattle, for example, and especially those which have been long bred as improvers of ordinary stock, by crossing, for grazing purposes. Those breeds which are valued most for crossing with leanfieshed and slower-maturing breeds are breeds which in their own pure state are inclined to excess of fat.. Now, this excess of fat, valuable a's it is in

the mingled influences of the improving and comparatively slow-thriving breeds, is found to be, generally, unfavourable to breeding. Bulls inclined to over fatness are usually less fertile, cows less prolific, than those which have not so great a tendency to the growth of excess. ,pf fat in proportion to the muscle or lean flesh Perhaps, without fear of contradiction by breeders or feeders who habitually see the dressed carcases of animals which they prepare for the butcher, one may say that in animals which by breed have a disposition to gross fattening there is a constant tendency to coarseness of the excessive fat, also to the growth of much gristle, and to deterioration of the muscle. The animal, as it increases in bulk, declines in the quality of its substance, and the breed, in course of time, shows general degeneracy in quality, form, size, and fertility or fecundity. The vital powers are impaired, and the perfections once realised are gradually disappearing. This is no pessimist alarm, nor a dismal picture of the speedy destruction of everything that the hand of man has brought to high excellence and usefulness. It is simply a statement of what the present writer believes to be the tendency of breeds developed continuously in a certain direction without timely correction. The mark for which the breeder wisely aimed has been overshot. To the credit of* our breeders, corrective influences are introduced again and again, and our best breeds are thus maintained (with fluctuations sometimes) by the continuous exercise of judgment in the choice and assortment of breeding animals. Histories of breeds give only tbe salient points where distinguished judgment is known to have: effected extraordinary results j just as in literature, science, or art, the leading men and their greater works come to the front, whilst the grand commingled brain powers which fill up the intervals between master minds are indistinguishable to the ordinary student.

Very few of even the more successful breeders of live stock seem to have the habit of communicating adequately the views upon which they act. Detached remarks in the course of conversation will often indicate to the perceptive listener how much more they know than they tell • how deep, indeed, is their acquaintance with

their subject. Although they, have never reduced their knowledge to eny definite system, they are prepared to do the right thing at the right time. The judgment thus at their command may seem instinctive, intuitive, but it is really the outcome of long and intelligent obsevation. They may not have systematically classed their facts in the pigeon-holes of the mind, but they have digested and assimilated the knowledge that observation gave them.

Thus, in dealing with the question of “ an out cross,” a smart breeder liaa no more need to mentally discuss principles than an expert accountant has to fall back upon the elementary rules of arithmetic. The mind, by the aid of what, it has acquired and digested, readily performs its task. The powerful orator, delivering extempore eloquence, is not consciously thinking of the rules of grammar, of elocution, or of rhetoric. He is master of the art which those rules, however true, or however useful they may have been to himself, cannot communicate. ' ■

The consummate skill of the practical breeder enables him to act in the main reasonably without always being able to give a definite reason for his acts. He sees what will serve his purpose, and he uses it. Sometimes he may make mistakes, and so lose time ■, but his sound judgment will generally carry him through his difficulties. The aggregate of good judgment brought to bear upon live stock breeding, if j,vo take for example the British Islands alone, or any one of the countries comprised in the group, is immeasurably greater than the credit commonly ascribed to it. Some people refer to it as if it were all within a number of heads that a man might count on his fingers, whereas it is distributed far and wide, and if the profuse distribution be doubted let the doubter, if himself competent to recognise good judgment when he sees it, just take an excursion among a few of the representative herds, or stuls, or flocks of any of our principal breeds, and then'among those of obscure tenant farmers possessing average intelligence. . Notwithstanding all the various disadvantages hindering the free exercise of the judgment of many farmers'in live stock matters—too often the incompetency of the pur>e to support the enlightened will—the turn out of live stock, at least in the principal breeding districts, is, upon the whole, surely very ci editable to the farmrrs, most of whom doubtless would be able to do far better still if they could always act up to their judgment. In the hands of the most ordinary farmers in breeding districts, where distinct breeds of cattle, sheep, etc., have become established, we may find a wealth of good material for the renoi»tion of declining herds. Departuie from pedigree lines by the possessors of pedigree stock has been already considered as a course generally unwise. The desired end, in most casts, may be gained without the sacrifice of pedigree eligible for registration. But if the retention of such pedigree were a matter of indifference, we scarcely can doubt that the skilful breeder might obtain, quite outside pedigree lines, most excellent material for “ out-cross-ing.” Much of it is perhaps really as pure as the purest material in' the records.

Where the want of renovation is less from closely consanguineous breeding than from deterioration resulting from hi<»h keep and from continuous selection for the purpose of producing l’apidly fattening stock the homogeneous material outside the records might be very usefully employed. It has been produced, we may suppose, and may sometimes ascertain, under conditions conducive to the maintenance of muscle and of the vital powers, and is for that reason capable of effecting, the restoration or correction required. Whilst breeders of pedigree stock are compelled to observe the signs of the - times in connection with the market., value of the more costly strains of blood, the man who simply moulds the animal to his will need not perplex himself with far reaching search. If by force of example ot habit induced to do so, he is somewhat nearly in a parallel case with the ship sailing across the stream which the Biver pours far into the sea, and flying the signal of distress, “ No water ; dying of thirst !” to which a vessel meeting J her responded with the signal “ Dip J and drinkj”