220 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



At our Spring sale in March, 1885, Mr. H. H. Hinds, President of the 

 Michigan Shorthorn Breeders' Association, who has always manifested a 

 cordial interest in all our work, presented this matter to the State Board of 

 Agriculture, and thought that the different Breeders' Associations would 

 be glad to donate the calves, selecting such as they believed would be 

 likely to make the best showing for the respective breeds. Mr. Robert 

 Gibbons, editor of the Michigan Fanner, was present, and I herewith 

 append his report of the remarks of Mr. Hinds, and the resolutions adopted 

 by the Board: 



TESTING THE BREEDS. 



At the stock sale at the Agricultural College last week, all the members of the State 

 Board of Agriculture being present, Mr. H. H. Hinds, President of the State Shorthorn 

 Breeders' Association, after a few words of explanation, made the offer that if the Board 

 would select one or two choice specimens of each of the beef breeds, of about the same 

 age, giving them equal care and attention, and keeping a full record of the feed consumed 

 and the gain made by each, he, on behalf of the Shorthorn breeders, would offer such 

 selected animals, free of expense, to the college. He said he did this without consultation 

 with his brother breeders, but he knew they would stand by him. He wanted to see the 

 breeds tested fairly, and each represented by animals selected by the friends of the breeds 

 to represent it. He would also like to see some good native steers, free from any admix- 

 ture of thoroughbred blood, fed with the others, so as to bring out the true merits of each. 

 These animals could then be exhibited at the State and other fairs, and farmers could 

 draw their own conclusions. The college was in shape, since its experimental barn was 

 built, to conduct such an experiment, with the carefulness and attention to details it 

 should have, and he hoped breeders of each of the beef breeds would take an interest 

 in such a test. 



The members of the Board, after some discussion among themselves, in which all 

 spoke favorably of the proposition, unanimously adopted the following preamble and 

 resolution : 



Whereas, The Michigan Shorthorn Breeders' Association, through its President, has 

 volunteered to select and furnish two specimens of Shorthorn calves for the purpose of 

 testing their relative feeding qualities compared with other breeds; therefore, 



Resolved, That the Michigan State Board of Agriculture accept the proposition and 

 respectfully solicit other associations or owners of other breeds to select two specimen 

 calves of each of the several breeds for the purpose of making a careful test at the Agri- 

 cultural College of their relative merits for fattening purposes. Correspondence in rela- 

 tion to the test should be addressed to Prof. Samuel Johnson, Agricultural College, who 

 will furnish information in regard to it. 



Now let the Hereford, Polled Angus, Galloway, and Devon breeders be heard from, and 

 we shall have a test of the merits of each of the great families of thoroughbreds that will 

 demonstrate their high merit and the value of each to the farmer. It will be a liberal 

 education in feeding to have such a test thoroughly made. 



After waiting until November, 1885, and not receiving any calves, I 

 reported to the Board of Agriculture as follows: 



There is no lack of public spirit among our cattle breeders, many of 

 whom have expressed a desire for such a test; but many feel, and I can- 

 not help sympathizing in the feeling, that the State is abundantly able to 

 purchase the stock needed for its experimental work. The members of our 

 State Board feel in this way, and I think, as some six months have elapsed 

 since the adoption of the above resolution and no offers of calves have been 

 made, we had best conclude that if we are to have specimens of the breeds 

 to feed we must buy them for that purpose. 



The outlay required will be as much or more perhaps than the animals 

 will bring after three years' care and feeding; but we must not forget that 

 experiments are not remunerative directly in a pecuniary way — only in 

 the lessons gleaned from them and the conclusions they demonstrate. 



I therefore recommend that a portion of the amount appropriated for 

 feeding experiments be expended for animals for this purpose, and that 

 they be secured as soon as possible; at the same time holding ourselves in 

 readiness to accept selections made by any of the breeders' organizations 

 pursuant to the resolution adopted by the Board of Agriculture; provided 

 the animals in these classes have not been previously secured. 



