54 THE HORSE 



As a rule, the longer the pedigree of the sire and 

 dam the more closely will the offspring resemble its 

 immediate parents, especially if they have been some- 

 what inbred. If the pedigree of an animal contains 

 the names of many noted ancestors, it gives value to 

 the animal over and above that of one with a pedigree 

 which contains few or no distinguished ancestors, pro- 

 vided that the animals are equally meritorious. These 

 latter are called "plain" pedigrees. But a long pedigree 

 does not necessarily add value to the animal which 

 possesses it. The pedigree value, then, consists largely 

 in showing that the animal to which it belongs has 

 been bred without any admixture of blood outside of 

 the breed so far back as the pedigree extends, and it 

 may also be of value in revealing the names and 

 numbers of unusually meritorious ancestors. However, 

 animals of unusual merit occasionally have short pedi- 

 grees; the genealogical value of such a pedigree being 

 based largely on the animal's prepotency, or on that of 

 its near ancestors, and not on the length of time which 

 has elapsed since its ancestors were first recorded. 



Both long and short pedigrees are found not only in 

 the records of Shorthorns but in those of other breeds 

 of animals, though most of the Shorthorns of today 

 have longer recorded and better authenticated pedigrees 

 than many other breeds of domesticated animals. 



A short and a long pedigree are given below and 

 well illustrate the evolution of pedigree -making: 



Angus Ladd (1046). 

 Foaled May, 1856. 



Sire, a horse belonging to the Earl of Strathmore. 

 Pedigree unknown. 



