Shorthorns in Russia

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18467, 4 August 1934, Page 13

Shorthorns in Russia

I p recent, years Russia litis been a j. large buyer of Sliofthorn cattle. During the last, five years, according to Professor Kislovsky, of the. Institute [of Cattle Breeding, Moscow, Russia has imported 967 Shorthorns, of which 779 were bulls. “Notwithstanding the sometimes severe conditions,” wrote Pro- ' fessor Kislovsky, to the secretary of the I.Short.horn Society of (treat Britain, “the I imported animals behave on the average i well. Shorthorns developed 20 per i cent, fewer cases of sickness than other I' breeds. • 1 “The. imported sires, Shorthorn and others, were mostly used for crossing , with the native Kalmuck breed, and ex- : perimonts in intensive feeding were car- ! Tied out at the Sal Experimental Station )by Dr. Sarkoviteh. From the. table of ■'weights at various ages’up to 1£ years, i Pi'ofessor Kislovsky draws the following j conclusion : —‘Although the Shorthorns seem to have been of a lighter sort than the other imported sires, their halfbreeds (Shorthorn —Kalmuck) gave at all ages better results than those of the latter; there seems also to have been present the phenomenon of ‘hybrid vigour.’ or .‘heterosis,’ as the l\nlf-bred Shorthorn upt only excels the .mh'tefjuil j • breed (Kalmuck) , but • iii. someV age'* j groups' even tlif* pure-bred Shorthorn.) j | “At 22 months a block-test was carried j | out as between three groups, namely, Shorthorn —Kalmuck crosses, non-Short-horn—Kalmuck crosses, and pure Kal-j muck, and Professor Kislovsky remarks: i ‘The best result's were once more achieved by the Shorthorn half-brals'. Ih conclusion, it may be said that' the .Shorthorn and his half-brals have tin-, 1 doubtedly cpnqvered the sympathy of. 1 Russian animal breeders, and have clearly demonstrated, their usefulness for-the upj grading of the native steppe cattle.’ ”