74 JUDGING AND SELECTION OF LIVE STOCK 



line of successful breeding ancestry. If these records are 

 reinforced with a strong, vigorous sire and dam, it is reason- 

 able to believe that the individual selected will prove the 

 equal of its ancestors. If extremely young stock is selected 

 special stress should be placed on this point, largely because 

 of immaturity. In applying the breeding test the greatest 

 care should be exercised in mating the untried individuals 

 to those which have thoroughly proved their worth in the 

 breeding herd. 



Productiveness. — Productiveness is a measure of breeding 

 value as applied to prepotency in the male and prolificacy 

 in the female. Prepotency refers to strength and surety 

 of transmission of the qualities inherent in the sire, while 

 prolificacy refers to the number of animals in the progeny 

 and the continuity of transmission, especially in swine 

 and sheep. The term regularity may be more logically 

 used in connection with horses and cattle. These qualities 

 are important in building up a herd or flock and should be 

 given the most careful consideration. Breeding animals which 

 are selected without having obtained a knowledge of their 

 breeding record from this standpoint may not always prove 

 their worth. However, if for several generations the breed- 

 ing record shows a high measure of productiveness, it is only 

 natural to assume that the same characteristics will be con- 

 centrated in the immediate progeny. 



Natural Thrift. — Natural thrift is an inherent quality of 

 the individual herd or breed. Naturally it is of greatest 

 importance in the breed. Individual animals in certain 

 instances often surpass other members of the herd or breed 

 in size, quality, form, and thrift. Such animals, provid- 

 ing their unusual growth and development does not indi- 

 cate an abnormal or undesirable condition are in strong 

 demand. This is a natural consequence, since such animals 

 are productive of exceptional profits, both from the breeding 

 and market standpoint. The blood lines of the runt pig 

 are the same as the larger and more vigorous litter mates. 

 This is a condition illustrating the variation which may exist 

 in different individuals. 



The pedigree may place the stamp of approval on an 

 animal or on a herd, yet if the individuals are not potent or 



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