SELECTION AND ITS IMPORTANCE 



237 



formity. The final outcome with the three would certainly 

 encourage observers to pursue a similar method. 



A knowledge of breed character is requisite if one is to 

 become an intelligent breeder. All of our farm animals 

 may be grouped into breeds, crosses, grades, or scrubs. 

 Any improvement made must come through the breed, or 

 pure-bred line. Our breeds are the outcome of systematic 

 selection and improvement. Present-day standards are 

 undoubtedly higher than ever, and breeders demand more 

 and more merit in breed representatives. This being so, it is 

 highly important that the stockman should be quite familiar 

 with the scale of points, moulding all the desirable qualities 

 into an ideal worthy of the breed, and then endeavor to 



produce animals that 

 come nearest to that 

 ideal. Such knowledge 

 also calls for a keen dis- 

 crimination in selecting 

 the breeding stock by 

 which the herd is main- 

 tained. 



Rational selection is 

 a thing greatly to be 

 desired on the part of 

 breeders. Too many persons are influenced in their se- 

 lection by passing fads. In the past, men have insisted 

 on maintaining herds of red Shorthorns, or solid-colored 

 Jerseys, allowing these fancy points to obscure more impor- 

 tant ones. Hogs have been bred with such extreme dish of 

 head as to make it impossible for them to eat in a natural 

 way. Sheep have been bred with such heavy coverings of 

 wool over the face as to prevent the use of the eyes. These 

 features should never obscure the vision of the breeder. 



Fig. 145. Shropshire sheep heavily cov- 

 er ed with wool over the head. Photograph 

 by the author. 



