2 THE RURAL EFFICIENCY GUIDE STOCK 



for animals, lowers the standard of live stock production and makes results un- 

 certain and disappointing. Natural laws that govern and control the reproduc- 

 tion of plant and animal life and which generally group plants and animals un- 

 der district varieties, emphasizes the importance of selecting recognized types 

 and breeds of farm animals. 



The Best Breed to Select. Many factors enter into the selection of a 

 breed. Personal preference or no preference whatever accounts for the charac- 

 ter of many farm animals. The farm organization, its adaptability for producing 

 a given class of farm and animal products, its relationship to markets and local 

 manufacturing plants like creameries, cheese factories, condenseries and abba- 

 toirs, should be leading factors in deciding upon a breed. There are many ad- 

 vantages in buying and selling and in breeding and managing animals where 

 a community agrees upon a given breed and co-operates in an effort to promote 

 the breed. A lifetime is too short to accomplish all that one would like to do in 

 developing a given breed. Therefore, one's choice in the matter of selecting and 

 breeding should be carefully considered. A man is most fortunate when he can 

 chose the breed that his father, and his grandfather developed and adapted to a 

 given farm. 



Definitions Applying to Animal Breeding. Breeding as it applies to live 

 stock is the art of reproducing and improving farm animals. Its prime object 

 is the improvement of animals for meat, milk, wool and labor. 



Promiscuous Breeding. Mating animals without reference to type, breed 

 or individuality, most often results in undesirable farm animals and should be 

 discouraged. 



Cross-Breeding. This system of breeding refers to mating animals of 

 two distinct breeds. It offers the advantage of increasing the size, vigor and pro- 

 ductive quality of animals. These good results, however, are confined to only 

 the first generation of animals. Cross-bred animals are not satisfactory for 

 breeding purposes except where one desires to establish new breeds and types. 

 The practice, therefore, tends to destroy the opportunity for preserving estab- 

 lished breed type and character and the work of generations of time consumed 

 in the development and perfection of given breeds. 



Natural Breeding. Mating animals not related but corresponding in type 

 and breed, constitutes natural breeding. Where one has opportunity to use the 

 best of sires this system of breeding is capable of producing very satisfactory 

 results and may be regarded safer than breeding animals more or less closely 

 related. It is the approved system of breeding most generally employed. 



Line Breeding. Mating animals within a given family, related to the 

 extent of twenty-five percent and less than fifty percent of the same blood, 

 is termed "line breeding." It is practically safe to practice line breeding 

 where one does not allow the relationship to become too close and is careful 

 to maintain definite standards relating to size and vigor. Line breeding tends 

 to insure more uniform results than natural breeding. 



Inbreeding. Mating animals that are related to the extent of having 50 

 percent or more of the same blood, is inbreeding. When practiced by men 

 who understand the nature and results of such breeding, it is a safe practice. 



