FARM AND STATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 181, 6 August 1886, Page 6

FARM AND STATION.

STOCK BREEDING.

There is no exaggeration in the assertion that in the average of years four-fifths of the horses and sattle bred in the colony have proved unprofitable to the breeders, the majority of whom recognise n6 standard of excellence to breed up to. Owners of mares can work them to within a short time of foaling, and the young things are regarded as an inexpensive addition to the stock that will pay for keep at the end of three years. Cattle owners can elect whether to kill or keep the young calves, the mothers are in full milk and the quality or rearing of the progeny are matters for after consideration. Consequently the markets are constantly filled with unbroken horses, worth from £3 to £7 at three-rising, four years, and cattle rising three years, difficult of sale at from £2 to £2 10s. Hence the almost universal complaint that horse and cattle breeding are unprofitable, and the markets indicate that we are on the eve of still lower prices for low class stock. In the oest of times inferior animals did not pay to breed, but the all-round depreciation in values of agricultural and pastoral products has now denned a very wide margin in the relative values of superior and inferior articles, and the latter no longer recoup the cost of production. Obviously, the only way to meet depression is to improve the quality of our productions without sensibly increasing the cost, and given 'unprejudiced consideration this will be admitted to be practicable in regard to live stock, provided breeding practices heretofore followed be altogether reformed. Here only suitable stallions used and judiciously mated the progeny at three years old, would be worth even at the present standard of prices from £10 to Lls, and on the same consumption of food as the L 5 animals of the present time, the only additional cost being about a couple of pounds extra for the services of a superior sire. Again, if only well-bred bulls were used, four-fifths of the cattle of the country would be increased in value quite £2 10s per head, compared with present ourr ent rates for three-year-old beasts. Thus, for the want of a "little care and foresight many thousands of inferior animals are annually reared, which are a serious loss to the breeder," and ultimately to the grazier, or dairy farmer. Even if something may fairly be ascribed to mismanagement, it must be admitted that an overwhelming proportion of the dairy cows in the country — many of them fairly well fed— do not yield much" more than half what suitably-bred milk cows would* No other conclusion then is tenable than that only a moiety of the horses and cattle in the colony have paid the cost of breeding and rearing, and when at maturity are "worth their keep" from a strictly utilitarian point of view. Were it possible to correctly estimate the quantity and value of food wasted annually in the colony on hordes of unprofitable animals, the figures would prove startling, and suggestive of at least one direction in which successful efforts could be made to materially augment the income of the farmer or grazier. Under existing circumstances and dull as times are, there is no lack of encouragement to breeders of really good horses, including heavy and medium draught, spring cart, and hackneys of good type. The revival in the demand in Australia for powerful draught horses has greatly reduced thenumbershere, and with the probable extension of cultivation, there are already indications that there soon will be barely a sufficient number of this class in the colony to meet local wants. The other classes referred to have hitherto been bred in a haphazard sort of way, but really superior animals have invariably commanded good, even high prices, and are in increasing request. Breeders therefore have ample scope for their efforts, and with sound roomy mares mated to suitable stallions can hardly fail of success. There are few matters connected with hosre breeding on which so much diversity of opinion prevails as the relative influence of sire and dam on the progeny. One body of contestants ascribe the predominant influence to the male, while another maintain it is principally due to the female. In favour of the first contention, the mule — the offspring of the male ass and a mare — is quoted in illustration, and, further, the fact that very small mares breed large colts if mated with a big sire. Certainly the mule more closely resembles the sire than the dam, but there is a cogent argument in support of the female influence theory, viz., the practice pursued by the Arabs, who, " whilst scrupulously attentive to the quality of their mares, are comparatively indifferent to the quality of the stallions." It has been argued, also, that because of " the more intimate connection of the female with the offspring during the space of time from conception to birth the influence of the dam must be greater than that of the sire." Experienced breeders refuse to accept either of these extreme views, and hold that both sire and dam have an influence on the progeny, an influence which will be affected in degree by the relative constitutional vigour at the period of service. It is a commonly accepted

belief that it is principally by means of the males that various breeds are gradully improved, and this may be true in regard to size* outline, and muscular development, but none the less necessary is it that the quality of the females should be up to the standard. Sound, goodlooking, roomy mares, put to a well-chosen horse, will assuredly leave valuable progeny. On this subject, Mr Leonard, V.S., in a lecture at a meeting of the Edinburgh Veterinary Medical Society, observed : " I look upon it as of equal importance to study the quality of the female as the male* particularly as regards hereditary disease and weakness of constitution, as I look upon these to be much more likely to be transmitted from dam than sire, which is quite in keeping with the long and intimate connection maintained both before and after birth and up to the time of weaning; the same blood nourishes both, and any unhealthy condition of that blood affects both, so^ that soundness of constitution is therefore indispensiblein the female, and no person will, I fancy, advocate the theory of breeding from dams suffering from hereditary disease." Mr Leonard also adds, " the size and external conformation we should seek to govern by the male, that of the constitution by the female." It is the conformation alone which almost exclusively obtains attention from breeders, and while defects in mares may, in this respect, be modified by opposite qualities in the sire, one rule must be scrupulously observed, both should be free from hereditary disease. While, however, an unsound mare only produces one faulty foal in the year, an unsound sire will beget forty, fifty, or even more, and thus widely desseminate and perpetuate the evil. Principal Walley, of the Royal Veterinary College, Edinburgh, lately stated a case in point. A sire was awarded by the judges the £100 premium at an agricultural show. After the award came the veterinary examination. The horse had a curb, and on the recommendation of the veterinary surgeon was disqualified by the committee. Other eminent professional men were called in by the owner and they declared the horse practically sound. The directors stood firm, however, because he was not " sound for the purpose for which the premium is awarded " — a stock getter, for hunting purposes. Principal Walley visited shortly afterwards- the district in which the horse had served and he was offered to be shown within two hours 20 of the progeny of the particular horse, affected with curbs or curby hocks. A few months ago we directed attention to the necessity for active measures to regulate and control the keeping of sire Lorses, and we have only now to repeat, in the words of Principal Walley, " It is a sin and a shame that every possible precaution is not taken to ensure that these animals are worthy of the position to which they are elevated.