9 Dec, 1907.] 



Examination of Stallions. 



IS^ 



Eastern districts ; and moderately well supported in Gippsland and the 

 Western districts, the only important horsebreeding centre in which the 

 welcome has been equivocal being the northern end of the Goulburn 

 Valley. I am hopeful however that the example set by the enterprising 

 breeders in the Wimmera will be emulated next season by the equally 

 prominent breeders in the Goulburn Valley. 



Examining Officers and Results. 



The veterinary officers engaged in this work and the jparades and shows 

 the\ have attended and the number of stallions they have examined 

 with results are set out in the following table : — 



Hereditary Unsoundness. 

 The following ten conditions have been regarded as hereditary 

 unsoundness, the existence of which in any degree would warrant refusal 

 of a Government Certificate : — 



Broken Wind. 



Roaring. 



Cataract (eye). 



Nasal Disease (osteo-porosis). 



Ringbone. 



Sidebone. 



Bone-spavin. 

 Bog-spavin. 

 Curb. 



Thoroughpin and bursal en- 

 largements. 



I have explained elsewhere that an hereditary unsoundness is one in 

 which the tendency to the disease is inherited, and not the disease itself. 

 That is to say, animals with such tendencies will develop such diseases 

 on the incidence of slight exciting causes, whereas in other animals such 

 causes would be ineffective. If such exciting causes are withheld, the 

 hereditarily-disposed animal may escape the affection altogether. When 

 an inherited tendenc\' to disease has not manifested itself by the develop- 

 ment of that disease in a given animal, it often happens that in succeeding 

 generations, on the occurrence of influences favorable to the development 

 of the disease, it will be produced. It is frequently observed in regard 

 tO' such diseases as ringbone that the disease does not occur in the progeny 

 until it reaches the age at which the parent became affected. This may 

 simply mean that similar conditions of life experienced during the same 

 age period, may produce similar results in an animal having a tendency- 

 towards such results. 



