50 BULLETIN 905, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



the skin. In times of heavy laying the yellow coloring matter from 

 green feed is taken up by the eggs instead of by the skin. Other 

 tests, such as those depending on the spread of the pelvic bones or 

 the time of molting, are even more direct. 



There is another class of indirect indications of utility which should 

 be mentioned. There is no reason for believing that the white face 

 of the Hereford has any physiological connection with profitable 

 meat production. The breeders of Hereford cattle, however, fixed 

 this characteristic at the same time that they were fixing a good 

 beef type. As it has been fixed in no other breed of cattle, it is a 

 valuable indication of Hereford breeding when found in common 

 stock. Conversely, fancy points which are lost on crossing have 

 value as indications of pure breeding. 



THE BREEDING RECORD. 



The most direct evidence of the value of an animal in breeding, of 

 course, is the past record in this respect. The discovery of pre- 

 potent animals of a desirable kind means more for breed progress 

 than any other factor. It is only necessary to recall the influence 

 of Hambletonian 10 and his son, George Wilkes, on the American 

 trotter, of De Kol 2d on the Holstein-Friesian cattle of this country, 

 and of Anxiety 4th on American Herefords. In judging the value 

 of an animal on this basis the number of his progeny and the char- 

 acter of the animals with which he or she was mated must, of course, 

 be taken into account. Uniform excellence in all of a large number 

 of progeny outweighs a record of one champion among many culls. 



This method of selection is, of course, more applicable to males 

 than to females, since the latter seldom have offspring enough until 

 quite old. Unfortunately, it is very common to dispose of males 

 before their value as sires is established, largely because of fear of 

 inbreeding. There is probably nothing which will make for progress 

 more than a systematic recording of the breeding record of promising 

 sires, such as we have in the advanced registry for dairy bulls, based 

 on the performance of their daughters. 



PEDIGREE. 



The ancestry of an animal as a clue to his probable success as an 

 individual and as a breeder should first be considered as a whole. It 

 makes a great deal of difference whether he is purebred, high-grade, 

 crossbred, half-blood, or merely scrub. If there is line breeding to 

 some prepotent individual and the other ancestors for several genera- 

 tions indicate consistent selection toward the same type, it is very 

 likely both that the animal will himself develop into this type and 

 that he will be markedly prepotent. On the other hand, an array of 

 ancestors of varied types, even though each is among the best of its 

 kind, indicates an animal about which little can be predicted as to 

 his own performance and less as to his progeny. 



