CHAPTER XII. 



Sources of Breeding Power and Sterility. 

 Exercise a Chief Necessity in Maintaining Breeding Power. 



From time to time there has been failure in the breed- 

 ing power in cattle of the Short-horn breed, and such 

 failures are not unknown at the present day. The noted 

 Short-horn breeder, Bates, "thrice infused fresh blood 

 into his herd,"* and Colling, also, took a " dip " of Gallo- ' 

 way blood, which was an advantage, in improving their 

 muscle, to some of his Short-horns ; while the present 

 Earl Tankerville is now "infusing" new blood from the 

 wild Chillingham cattle into some of his Short-horns. It 

 appears also from Mr. Wright' sf statement that "many 

 more calves are born cripples from this breed than from 

 any less closely bred cattle," which is an evidence of de- 

 fective breeding power in such instances, and, doubtless, 

 there are many unreported instances of failure in primary, 

 as well as in other stages of breeding. 



It is evident that the progeny produced is believed to be 

 improved in breeding power and otherwise by infusions of 

 blood from the active breeds resorted to ; but we shall see 

 that mere mixing of blood, without increasing muscle, 

 would not improve unless the blood were superior in 

 quality or increased in quantity, or both together ; and, 

 in fact, the blood infused by crossing with more active 

 breeds is superior in its quality, as the blood of cattle is 

 more pure or better in quality in proportion to their ac- 



*See Darwin's Ani. Und. Domesti., Vol. 11., p. 147. 

 tSee Darwin's Ani. Und. Domesti., Vol. II.. p. 147. 



