168 Missouri Agricultural Reiwrt. 



sires had proved themselves producers, they were then admitted 

 into the herd book, and the only recommendation they had for their 

 entry in the herd book was simply one of merit, not only of some 

 individuality, but of breeding strength, and I think if that princi- 

 ple were applied today, we would have more high-class registered 

 cattle and not so many registered scrubs. 



Thus it is seen that in the beginning pedigree, preserved and 

 valued, was an indication of excellence, but as time went on and 

 these distinguished specimens of the different breeds passed from 

 the hands of the originators into the hands of others less, skillful 

 perhaps, we find that they were subjected, more or less, to inferior 

 principles of breeding and of handling, and these things have 

 wrought great changes ; so, generally speaking, the ones we own at 

 present have withstood many destructive factors. Some have 

 been neglected and declined from lack of food, exercise, air, etc., 

 necessary to strong physical development; others have suffered 

 from injudicious mating, and others from intentional inbreedings. 



After these many years, it would seem that we have arrived 

 at a point where pedigree is not a standard of excellence in the 

 individual, and that is the thing I would like to emphasize. The 

 only, instance where pedigree can be considered a standard of 

 excellence is where that pedigree has been for years a record of 

 animals of extraordinary quality, and in these days, when cattle are 

 bred so much for financial gain and animals are constantly chang- 

 ing owners, likewise conditions and principles in breeding and 

 feeding, and it is practically impossible to find a pedigree which 

 can be considered a real indication of individual merit. 



No doubt some one would like to ask, what is the real value 

 that should be placed on pedigree? Pedigree, without individual 

 quality in the animal represented, is not worth the paper it is 

 written on. Nevertheless, when representing a good animal, it is 

 of great importance in reference to the various crosses therein, 

 so inbreeding can be avoided, outcrossing procured, and a number 

 of interesting facts learned in the history of the ancestry of the 

 animal, and one of the most important of these is the breeders who 

 have been the factors in the formation of this pedigree; because 

 you all know that where one man may be doing something to im- 

 prove a breed of some kind of live stock, there are ten men wait- 

 ing to tear down what that one man may have done. So by having 

 a pedigree we may be able to see and determine, by going into the 

 herd book records, the sources of blood in the animal, the breeders 

 who have appeared therein, and we know more or less perhaps of 



