CATTLE BREEDING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2541, 26 November 1902, Page 6

CATTLE BREEDING.

The first and most essential point in cattle husbandry is breeding, for without good judgment in breeding no extent of ! care and feeding will give profitable re- , suits. The successful breeder has something more to do than merely to effect the coupling of one animal with another, but to rightly fulfil the functions of his calling he must .so mate animal with animal as to produce the best results possible. There are entrusted to his care living organisms from which, according to the natural laws of propagation, he is to produce other organisms, which will be superior in general mei-it to their ancestors; and by a skilful I manipulation of circumstances and environ1 ments cause good quality to displace those 'of inferiority in their progenitors. In just ! the same ratio that this or that breeder possesses an insight into Nature's methods, into the laws imposed by an all -wise Power j upon it* subjects, will the success of his labours bring forfh results. I Robert Bakewell, of Glynde, after the , experience of a- lifetime, declared that animals art like man, and in the- hands of the breeder can be fashioned to suit his I tastes. Charles Darwin, undoubtedly the ' world's most celebrated naturalist, says in 1 his work on "The Origin of Species," vol. 1, p. 8 : "No case is on record of a variable organism ceasing to vary unde" cultivation." ' Here is the work of the successful breeds^

to moulcr and fashion the small variations as his practical eye detects them into an idea practical and profitable; hence necessary to the higher wants of man in his onward and upward march to perfection. Our oldest cultivated plants, such as wheat, still yield new varieties. Our oldest domesticated animals are still capable of rapid improvement' or modification.

From two such high authorities as these we see that the zsnith of live stock improvement has not yet been reacued, and therefore the question still requires the earnest and most intelligent *,tudy of ttose directly interested in the further development of such, an important source *,f (he farmer's income. Under .the head of breeding should be studied heredity, prepotency, atavism, and pedigree. Under the head of care, that of the general management of our flocks and herds ; and under the head of feed, that of the composition of animal, bodies, the principles of alimentation, stock foods, and their effects upon the animal system.

Again returning to the division of breeding, the subject of heredity or inheritance should be well studied. This is certainly a wonderful subject for deep study. It is one upon which volume after- volume has 'been written, and yet the further we delve into its hidden mysteries the more interested we become. \JThen we kyow it is pratically true, fhat "like begets like"—^when we know that it is practically true that, according to the laws of ..inheritance, the good or bad qualities, such as a fin© form or an ill-shaped one, a strong constitution or a weak one, an aptitude to take on ne&ix rapidly or an animal that at its best is but a slow and unprofitable feeder, and when it is Known to De practically true that ary of those may be transmitted to the offspring—nay, not only may be, but actually are transmitted to their progenitors — avery effort should be made to impress upon those in whose hands the- destiny of the bulk of our domesticated animals rests the importance of giv.ng" this subject more than a passing thought.

An American breeder of cattle of no uncertain eminence in his own country, in a letter to the National Stockman, Pittsburg, gives the results of his observations wten on a visit to England as illustrative of the importance of skilful breeding. The writer of the letter says: "In one other direction the people of England and Scotland teach us an important lesson. Their herds are better balanced in quality tkan ours. One day I asked one of America's best-known and most successful stockoien and showmen if he ever sold any of the stock he bred to the butcher, as not of high enough standard to serve for breeding stock. 'No,* he said, 'I sell everything for breeding stock.' That, it seems to me, is not the best method. If we do not prune out the inferior animals -they will- assist-in reducing the general" level of not only jur own herds, but those of the ones buying from us. I cannot help but feel that the Breeders here must use the knife more freely than we do, and pay good prices more readily for breeding males than our breeders are in the habit of doing. This is shown in the prices paid at public and private sales here, as well as prices men have given me as those paid for animals in their service. There is some incentive to do this, to be sure, when a largs per cent, of the population takes an interest in live stock and throngs to the shows without' a thought of horse races, merry-go-rounds," or side shows. The British people are primarily admirers of fine stock, -and so give prices generously, and invite strong competition in the show ring. In America we hear of the milking shorthorn, and we had an exhibition of those at the World's Columbian Exposition. Yet very generally oveT in England one sees large herds of milking shorthorns that contain so, many animals of apparent merit it is a pleasure to look upon them. Such herds could not be produced by indifferent or thoughtless breeding. Neither were they; they were produced by a combination of circumstances, some of which I have referred to above, and which, it would seem, more of our American breeders could follow to their general advantage."