THE BEEF INDUSTRY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20704, 30 April 1929, Page 15

THE BEEF INDUSTRY.

CROSSBREEDING IN ENGLAND. ■; A POPULAR PRACTICE. At the present time cross-breeding in cattle seems to have become a-, high form' of art and the-specimens-of .such raising nowadays, tlmt form a- great feature at all'.the fat stock shows are the ptoduct of’the'most scientffie metbodsof ’ breeding, ■VritM T, B. Goucher in-an : English agn- ■ cultural paper. Why, it may be asked, has cross-breeding become so popular? The answer is because it is more jasy to produce) thoseparticular qualities that are so , much in demand;in the commercial-animal by means of crossing two pure'.breeds, than it to produce them- in the. purebred animal. One "breed usually possesses cer- " characteristics that anbtncr-does not, c and .feeders and butchers'require certain qualities which -perhaps are wanting or are -■ not-Fully.-developed-in -some'of-'.the pure breeds, so that cross-breeding, is resorted " 1 to in order to attain such 'desired quali- : ties. , . . Those who breed ’for beef are- giving particular attention‘nowadays’-to- the- art of cross-breedingV.-wbich ‘is , extending- its influence in all directions and is becoming a.hignly popular form of commercial.cattle breeding.-, . It should,. however,' always be borne in mind 'that pedigree-must form the .basis _ of. successful cross-breeding. Unless it does, ;the system cannot be called - cross-breeding, but: is simply • “ mongrelism) which must distinctly be avoided if wo, are to; keep on the path" of ment and development in ouis commercial stock. .- • ,; r : . The fine specimens ;of ctoss-breeding seen # at fat stock shows are without exception the pro duce of pedigree sires' and, in the.case of'first '.crosses, of pedigree ' “ama as well, whereas in the second and third crosses thersire is purebred and the dams sire is purebred, although a cross- " bred herself. r i .iff the; nature .of “mongrel- - bp avoided; and an animal that hah more - than three crosses cannot be called other, than,a mongrel bred, one. • Why systematic' cross-breeding is /productive of such good results is not difficult to understand because in pedigree breeding and particularly in breeds that are. somewhat closely bred an out-cross, by which - is. meant, tlie use of sire /of the - same breed. but mf a totally: different line of blood to the rest of the Jierd, often brines out good qualities that .have been-lying dormant, and which need an infusion of frash blood to bring them to life again. : Thus is/iappens -that in crossing two pure breeds the best qualities,in botn are brought out in-the .progeny, provided, of course,. that- the - parents on. both. sides have merit. The crossing of .two unsatisfactory animals, purebred though they be, cannot be expected tojatoduce satisfactory results.* For some years - the - crossbred classes - have, produced' more entries than* any others at-the fat stock shows and the numbers continue to increase, which proves that the principle of cross-breeding is extending. Breeders of pedigree beef cattle of the more" popular breeds have a steady • and increasing demand" for bulls. and heifers for crossing purposes. The best sires may be sold for export or for -head- : mg high:dass herds at Home, but the next /grade are mostly' in : demand for crossing for commoroial purposes. Perhaps some small detect in, colour or some - laiicy point is sufficient to spoil tlieir market_ for export" or as herd headers, , but slight defects of this kind are of no ac-; count in cross-breeding provided the main • points are .well developed. , y , Quite a useful trade is. done liv. some Dreeders in producing c.ossbreds" lor exhibition purposes and purebred dams of one breed are as essential as tile purebred, sires of the other, so that it .is advisable to'oblam pedigree females for the purpose as the initial outlay will be amplv repaid in the .end;.. . " , i For instance, if it is desired to produce tho popular blue-grey if is-, advisable -to use ji purebred white Shbrthorn bull on pedigree - Galloway or - Aberdeen-Angus . females. This produces the- first- cross.. Then tho. heifers that are the produce of this cross may be mated-to a purebred ■ Aberdeen-Angus bulk Tho progeny is then a second cross. If the heifers of the second cross are then mated to a pedigree sire of '■ any breed, Shorthorn,-Angus, or whatever ■ it may be, then the progeny constitutes the third .cross. Beyond this good results cannot be felled upon. . . ‘ 1