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VIIL THE OVER-FEEDING OF BREEDING STOCK. 



1. The defect in the existing regulations. There is another defect, 

 and a most serious one, in the present mode of judging, or rather, 

 perhaps, more properly speaking, in the conduct of shows, which calls 

 loudly for a remedy. I allude to the all but useless regulations now 

 annually promulgated by the principal agricultural societies for pre- 

 venting the shewing of overfed breeding stock, and the barefaced 

 way in which these regulations are allowed to be evaded. It is 

 notorious that, for years back, breeding stock have been exhibited at 

 all the principal shows, in high enough condition for stock competing 

 in the fat cattle classes, and that they are brought out in this 

 unnatural state at the risk of rendering them unfit to breed, and to 

 the ruin of their constitutions and that of their progeny ; and this, 

 too, when the breeder in many cases is but poorly able 

 to stand the cost and expense of bringing the animals 

 out in that unnatural condition. The over-feeding of breeding stock 

 has become a serious national evil, and ought to be put down at all 

 costs ; for the injury is not confined to the stock of those who are 

 inclined and well able to follow this ruinous practice, but it is, so to 

 speak, highly infectious, and one that, if followed by only a few 

 breeders, must be adopted by all who wish to exhibit at our great 

 national shows. Indeed, hundreds of owners, although they are well 

 aware that they are running very great risk of destroying the health and 

 vigour of their breeding stock, deliberately overfeed them till they are 

 in high condition, even for the shambles, knowing, as they do, that 

 their herd would never obtain a name unless their stock are prize-takers, 

 and that they must be overfed before they stand a chance in the show- 

 yard. In other words, that if they are to make and maintain a name 

 as breeders, they must, although they can but ill afford the expense, 

 overfeed and destroy the vigour and stamina of their breeding stock, or 

 give up keeping pure bred stock altogether. There is no doubt what- 

 ever but that the majority of the ills to which the shorthorn is now so 

 notoriously subject is either directly or indirectly caused by the over- 

 feeding of breeding stock for exhibition at our national shows. 



2. The remedy. As, therefore, the steps hitherto taken by the prin- 

 cipal agricultural societies have proved ineffectual to put down this 

 crying evil, it is high time that some other means should be tried ; and 

 it is recommended that, instead of leaving it to the judges of the stock, 

 as at present, to set aside those animals, shown in the breeding classes, 

 which they consider too highly fed for breeding and which in practice 

 they never now do three duly qualified judges of condition should be 

 specially appointed, with absolute power to go through the breeding 

 classes at the show, previous to the regular judges going to work and 

 unhesitatingly disqualify every animal which they consider to be in too 

 high condition to breed healthy stock. 



It may be that, under such a system, an injury might, at first at 



