SUGGESTIONS ON SELECTION 85 



life for a sufficient length of time and by accurate methods. 

 When made in this way their value can hardly be over- 

 estimated to the stockman. 



Animals descending from sires and dams with accredited 

 records have the predisposition to high production. How- 

 ever, in some cases they may fail to respond satisfactorily 

 to the test. This is usually not true, yet the test should 

 be continued to ascertain doubtful specimens. Young 

 animals should be given reasonable latitude for increased 

 production when mature form is reached. In the authen- 

 ticated tests supervised by the breed associations a scale 

 or standard for animals of various ages is maintained. Due 

 allowance should be made for the undeveloped form of the 

 animal. 



Endurance or Speed Records. — The American Standard- 

 bred horse and the Thoroughbred (running) horse are the 

 only examples, other than the dairy-cow test and the block 

 test, where the actual measure of value of the individual 

 can be determined. A speed record is the primary measure 

 of a Standardbred animal. The Standardbred Trotting 

 Association maintains two distinct standards for measuring 

 the value of the trotter and the pacer. Certain provisions 

 are made therein whereby an animal may enter the record 

 under different requirements. While there is greater latitude 

 in the method of standardization than that used by dairy 

 record associations, the results all lead to the same end, a 

 known fixed efficiency for performing work. 



Although tried animals always command greater values, 

 the money so expended is for a good purpose, not only to the 

 individual and the herd but to the breed as well. The 

 high speed records acquired by the Standardbred animal are 

 the result of breeding and training to a fixed standard. 

 Successive lowering of records has been achieved by persistent 

 methods of improvement. Selection of animals for speed 

 purposes should, like the dairy animal, be based on health, 

 form, capacity, and repetition of records under normal 

 conditions. 



Block Tests. ^ — The ultimate value of a finished meat 

 animal is obtained by the block test. The dressing percentage 



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