INDIVIDUAL MERIT (15 



as a milk-producer and a reproducer of her own inherited 

 attainments. The animal of low vitality or, as otherwise 

 expressed, weak constitution, usually shows evidence of the 

 condition in the eyes, the development of the chest, the 

 size of the muzzle and nostrils, and other indications of 

 general capacity. When strongly endowed with constitutional 

 characteristics it bespeaks persistency of performance and 

 continuity of strongly inherited offspring. 



Capacity. — Capacity is bred and developed in an animal 

 the same as any other quality or characteristic. Naturally, 

 animals should be selected which have an inherent ten- 

 dency toward such development. Animals which have 

 small capacity are usually the result of using inferior breed- 

 ing stock, although they may occasionally be the offspring 

 of exceptionally strong and vigorous breeding animals. 

 Capacity is indicative either of breeding or feeding quali- 

 ties. Like constitution, this factor is of greater importance 

 in the breeding animal because of the influence which it 

 exerts throughout the entire period of usefulness and on 

 future generations. A short, shallow-bodied animal makes 

 an inferior breeder because of its inability to properly 

 nourish and develop a strong, vigorous fetus. The cramped 

 condition of the animal is not only indicative of improper 

 self-maintenance, but it naturally checks the development 

 which the reproductive system should convey to the unborn 

 animal. 



In a measure, capacity may be either natural or acquired ; 

 for example, it can be developed by liberal feeding or retarded 

 by witholding proper maintenance rations. The young 

 animal may be grown into a shallow-bodied, flat-ribbed 

 individual by witholding the roughage part of the ration, 

 either wholly or in part, or capacity may be materially in- 

 creased or developed by feeding liberally on rich, nutritious 

 feeds. A clear line of demarcation should be drawn between 

 the breeding animal and the one intended for feeding pur- 

 poses in estimating the necessity of capacity requirements. 

 In either case it is important, yet on the whole the animal 

 which has a long period of usefulness should have capacity 

 unusually marked in its development. 

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