AN INTERESTING EXAMPLE iN CATTLE BREEDING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2671, 24 May 1905, Page 6

AN INTERESTING EXAMPLE iN CATTLE BREEDING.

In this year's edition of the "Farmer and Stock Breeder Tear Book " particulars are given in an instructive article of the history and management of Mr R. W. Hobbs's extensive herd of dairy shorthorns at Kelmscott, Gloucestershire. An abstract of the article appears in a recent issue of the Field, London, and this enables us" to summarise the more important particulars for the information of such of our farmer readers as are seriously disposed to effect improvement iv the cattle stock on their farms.

Tn the introductory remarks to the article referred to, it is stated, in reference to the breeding of cattle on farms in Great Britain, that it would, perhaps, not be fair to judge the average farmer's appreciation of pedigree in live stock by the* character of the animals he keeps. "To cur knowledge there are many stock owners who hold in high esteem the virtues of recorded lineage who have never succeeded: in acquiring possession of a stud, herd, or flock based on correct pedigree lines. Their ambition, as they freely confess, is to own purebred animals, but they have also to admit the task of carrying out their desires in this direction has hitherto been beyond tLeir powers, and may never come within, their leach. The number of tenant farmers who own what are commonly called perli^'ifo stock is insignificant compared with those who manifest a hankering after so rich a possession. The leading reason for the inability of so many to realist their ambitions is that they believe that) large capital is requrred in order to establish and maintain such classes of animals, and that while the profits obtainable from them are often liberal, yet the pursuit is too speculative for the farmer of limitedl

lEai«sra of Poultry should use Nimmo anu Blair's Game and Pottltby Meal, which is composed of the best ground bones and sheila, specially prepared to meet the requirements of the fast-increasing poultry industry. It is made up- in 343 b bags, at Is 9d each. Lsk youi ' jitorekeepei for. it

means, and who has to derive the whole ©If his income from his holding, to engage in. This ' estimate of the pedigree stockbreeding business, which is so extensively held> is only partially correct. It is undbubtedly true that vast sums of money can easily, be spent in the founding and building up of purebred stocks ; but, on the other " hand, it is equally warrantable to aftina that success may be achieved through inexpensive, if necessarily longer and more tortuous, channels. There are two distinct methods of working one's way "into jedagree strains, the simpler and- more expeditious being that usually followed by the occupier of independent means — tliat is, buying selected animals, irrespective of price, from the best of stock ; and the other, the more tedious, inexpensive,

but more accessible course to the average farmer — that of starting upon a modest ■--beginning and working up, as it were, from within instead of by the wholesale

acquisition of costly improving material from other sources. With certain breeds

of stock this latter system may be pursued and. success attained without difficulty, although, of course, the rate of progress must inevitably be slow." - The article under notice proceeds to point out -bhafc probably a& good an example of what may be achieved in this latter direction, as could be found any■where in Grest Britain is that of Mr Hobbs's extensive herd of dairy shorthorns. Although Mr Hobbs spent his earlier years among the noted shorthorn herd (famous milkers) owned by his father at Maiseyhampton and where, no-doubt, Ms appreciation of lineage was first formed, it was*-not .until some seven- or eight years after he assumed possession of the extensive holding- he now occupies that he

initiated the system of breeding and; man"~agement. that he has so -persistently and successfully .pursued Sor tibe last' 20 years. %t was, 'about 1884' that Mr JKobbs turned his attention from grazing cattle to milk production, and . simultaneously with the adoption- .of the latterjrarsuit he began to carry into practical effect his previouslyfcrmed idea of grading up a herd by the use ot pedigree bulls, and by degrees qualifying the offspring for entry in the Herd Book. Barring a few pedigree cows

lue procured from Maiseyhamplon., Mr Hobbs has succeeded in building up ■ his

present herd — which, by the way, is one of the largest and most valuable of dairy shorthorns in the Kingdom — entirely from * non-pedigree cows. His method of procedure, and which has been rigidly adhered to throughout vrhen the herd had to be deplenished -irom. outside sources, was to purchase the -best cows and heifers of the shorthorn type that he could find, promi-

vent attention always being given to the '^milking .capabilities of the animals, as tax as these can be judged by external appearances. Starting in this "way, Mr Hobbs laid the foundation with the material of sound constitution and wellaereloped. utility merits, and the rest he iias accomplished entirely through the in- . stxumentality of carefully-selected pedigree bulls. .None but i-egistered sir.es have been iised at KefinscotV and these have been chosen with the utmost care from strains -of proyed- utility in milk-yielding, it having been a Jundaniental point with Mr Hobbs •in - selecting =- a bull that- he had either seen' -the-j-dain of the animal or been furxdshed - -with "authentic particulars of her aniikmg record. The impressive influence vbieh the bull exerts upon a herd is " strikingly exemplified in the case of the Kelmscott shorthorns, for what tfhat herd is to-day " in a pedigree sense has been attained entirely through the agency of ihe sires brought into it. "It would," the author of the article writes, "be a good thing for tbie country and a profitable thing for themselves if many other farmers entertained the same sound opinion as to the prepotency of bulls as has so

encouragingly b&en turned to practical account by the enterprising owner of the Kelmscott herd of nearly 209 cows, all of *rhich owe their reliability for Coates's Herd Book to their male "ancestors." In later years it has not been necessary, as can be easily understood from the extent of the herd, to introduce into it many cows from other centres, a sufficient supply ©f fresh blood being brought in by the bulls, half a dozen of -which are constantly in service. The female nortion of the herd

is maintained by the selection of heifer jcalves from the 70 or 80 that are available yearly to take thie place of cows that are held to have served their day. Practically all -the heifer calves are reared', md in. selecting those that are to join the lierd due attention is given to the pedigree as well as, the appearance of the animals, Mr Hobbs adding significantly in respect •ib this matter that the heifers generally "turn out much, as might be expected from ■pedigree. As regards the market for the class of bulls bred from a short-pedigree milking lierd, such as that o£ Kelmscott, it will he understood that exorbitant prices are •eldom obtained. For example, the re-

munerative Argentine trade is entirely lost, at all events in the meantime, although. Mr Hobbs is perhaps right in thinking that the South American breeders will tire of their present restrictions in respect to long pedigree. He is sanguine enough to believe that as the dairy industry develops in Argentina and neighbouring States, more Shorthorns of the dairy type will be required.^ But if the more enterprising exporters'neglect the progeny of milk stock, Mr Hobbs can usually find sufficient buyers, including representatives of Russia., Germany, Hungary, Chili, and South Africa-, for his bulls; while, as will be readily understood, his cows and heifers are always in keen demand with Home farmers, as is witnessed by the fact that prices at his auction sales have averaged about £35 per head. This example of building up a large and valuable herd of registered shorthorns out of unregistered, it may be remarked, would have been impossible but for the circumstance that the conditions of registration are not too strict. Indeed, the history of the KeliSscott herd is pleasing testimony as to the wisdom of keeping the Herd Book open to what may be described as reclaimed or improved strains. If there is any Herd Book in existence tbat might have been closed before now without prejudice to the breed, that register is Coates's Herd Book ; yet those responsible for its management have prudently pursued the broad policy of keeping it open for the infusion of replenishing and invigorating strains.