IN-AND-IN BREEDING.

Waikato Times, Volume II, Issue 89, 23 November 1872, Page 3

IN-AND-IN BREEDING.

tiY CH:OE<;I; <;unm-:.;.

All improvers oi uoiiirslic annuals. 1 believe. are sticklers for what is eaded pedigree, which is annply proof of unbroken (ieiccnt in all the fro-n some itdwiLted pure stock, i iiis is a very general. definition, ami docs not covcr all the ground tiiat is m liu; nnud at'il breeder." lit: will jequire a history of t!io particiilar'lino through which any individual hug descended, so that purity of blood i.s not all that is held of till no in ii pedigree. It is the cno-thhyg that-roust belongto all podigives of thoro animals, bnt,.';n;tß'h morethan tliirt is required to nmke an-animal bring-thc highest pricu. This point is well shown-in the market'■ prices of: the improved Shorthorn ].>iirham-cattle. There are thousands of animate Whose pedigrees can bo a? pr-riectly traced to the nminon ancestry lij cinr bo that of the Dutches family—• that, just because Ihey art* not of the particular iamilv, kiillf'or scores of pounds, while could they but show thai* thcv< were sufficiently strong in-:tbis most esteemed Durhaifi blood J would?-bring hundred*. This may appear absurd aiut unreasonable to persons ■who'have not considered-the whole subject, ho.t'the men who make .these'distinctions, and prove their sincerity by paying- their'money, say that the Dutchess family has for so Jong a-timfe* produced the very best of j allium-]*,'without anything like the. ordinary por-centaxo of sccoiul-rate ones, that their progeny arc certain to be firstrates, or xd irearly so that their'value is really as great as the inarkct price indicates. The advocates rtf in-and-in breeding cotiHtatrt-ly cite this family as the best proof that bv close breeding this great ex eel lei ice is obtained—and oortainlv no person whu knows the history of this family of "Durham's will pay their market valuo unless he is a firm believer in the"closest breeding. The .IJutehess family has been bred so closcly that. it. mav be said, with almost literal truth, that the nearest, relations haVe been mated without any hesitations on that ftvcoitnt, as long as their ability l:b procreate continued—breeding a bull to-' his own data', - and 1 aisters and daughters, and grand-: daughters, and so down:

The fact is undisputed l that the bulls of this Dutchess family produce the most matked'- improvements upon other families of the and in this fact'lies--a large part of their selling value. This ability to make their'"mark* is believed to be due to" the fact of their having descended from the close breeding T have• stated* Individuality has been intensified, and however the progeny may "tack-back," it can hardly fail to resemble arid inherit the good qualities of the family as it now c-.-i.sEs. The owners of thoroughbred females that arc no!) of this-particular family pay.largely for Duke bulls, as the intensity of their blood is supposed to be able fo'prevail over the blood of families less closely bred in-and-in. Owners of ordinary, or so called native cattle, have not the same! reasons for paying a vevy high price for a Duke bull, as any well-bred short-horn Durham bull will have strength enough to prevail ovii- the mongrels and crossdiired cattle. Having; pointed out some of (he advantages and dangers of iri-iiiuUin breeding, I wish fo close by stating the only case that occurs to mo, in which there is nothing but plain sailing, and where the novice may fearlessly venture : There are many flocks of sheep, whose wool is so thin and poor that the animal is of but little value, except as furnishing the foundation of grade Hocks, that, though not as good us full blood Merinos, a:-e still of great value. On these owes, Merino rams may be put', and the feme itoim puf to their progeny, daughters, grand-daughters; ami (.rre-'.i-g- ...■. ■- daughters, and soon asking as tiiey live. Thu on!-- .v.uct::.:m; requisites is, that the ram siiould.be of the best qua!:; v. and be a getter t.i" good stock, anal should prefer to havi his pedigree show that be was from a family closely bred in-and-in, till his-blood had become ■ greatly intensified without having approached" or shown any signs of disease or degeneration in the lloek. A ram from a dock that for many generations had been handled after the plan of Mr Fischer should have constitution enough to make a great impression on mongrel blood, and I am satisfied from what 1 have seen of breeding sheep, that such a ram might be safely used in such a (lock and amongst his own descendants there as long as he may live, and I believe that under parallel circumstances, a Duke Bull may be used in the same manner. Having procured half-bloods, three-quarters, and seven-cigths, and higher grades still by the use of the same male, -never commit the folly of breeding these grades together, but continually resort to the flock or herd,-towards which you wish to breed for sires, and always procure full-blooded animals. And in selecting them aim to resort to such-sources as have not only produced the individual you want, but that have produced many more like him. Skill, in selecting, so as to cure defects, will at all stages;of breeding be important, and that skill can-only conic from experience. Books may aid, but practical knowledge must be had, to enable the student to duly understand what may he written by the most skilled flock-ma.-tcr. If I have written so as to aid the beginner in acquiring, practical-knowledge.on this difficult branch of sheep .husbandry, then I have. accomplished all that I hoped fcr when 1 commenced.