Liiie Stock Breeders' Association. Ill 



a success I mean a man who can take animals purchased from 

 another breeder, and during the course of his possession of those 

 animals improve on their quality, or, at least, maintain them at 

 the same level, and the man who cannot do that is not doing much 

 as a breeder. I hope some of you will take that one idea as to the 

 real importance of pedigree — that it has very little to do with a 

 breeder's success. (Applause.) 



The Chairman : We would like to have this subject discussed 

 by the breeders present. 7 would like to have Professor Mumford 

 open the discussion on this subject. 



Professor Mumford : I am surely very much interested in 

 this particular subject, and am especially so because just day before 

 yesterday, I think, this subject was up for discussion in one of our 

 classes in animal breeding, and I was in the same unfortunate 

 position that the gentleman seemed to think he was, I gave the 

 class my ideas on the subject, but I am glad to say that my ideas 

 at that time corresponded very closely to those of the experienced 

 and distinguished gentleman who has just talked to you. Now, it 

 is unfortunate that the idea of pedigree, in the minds of many 

 farmers, has come to mean something of merit in itself. But, as 

 Mr. Miller has just said, every animal has a pedigree, and every 

 animal may have a written pedigree, and because an animal has 

 a pedigree or because the ancestors of an animal are written in 

 books, it does not necessarily follow at all that the animal is a good 

 animal or has a good pedigree. 



As I look at it, a pedigree, if of any value at all, is of value only 

 in so far as the animals in that record are themselves good. We 

 often hear in our discussions as to whether it is better to buy an 

 animal with a good pedigree and not a good individual, or an ani- 

 mal that is a specially good individual but with a poor pedigree. 

 That is perhaps one of the hardest questions that can be put. If 

 left to me, I think I would say I would not take either one of them, 

 because a poor individual with a supposedly good pedigree is a 

 contradiction. Good pedigrees get good animals, and a good ani- 

 mal with a good pedigree gives us this assurance and gives us 

 perhaps a truly valuable pedigree. 



A good pedigree insures us, as well as it is possible for us to 

 be insured, that the particularly good individual selected as a breed- 

 ing animal has the ability to transmit his qualities to his offspring. 

 And a good individual without a pedigree has not often that ability, 

 and I am sure that all breeders will agree that the most important 



