36 LIVE-STOCK JUDGING 



between a Percheron and a Belgian is to be color, and not 

 even color can be depended upon to distinguish a Clydes- 

 dale from a Shire, what is the use of attempting to estab- 

 lish breed identities ? 



54. Factors determining breed characters. — As a 

 matter of fact, these distinctive characters of breeds are 

 the result of either or all of those agencies that have been 

 operative during the formative period of the breeds. 

 They are the foundation stock or the origin in blood, the 

 environment by which these hereditary endowments have 

 been molded, or the geographic origin, and the ideal or 

 purpose to which selection has been made. The last is, of 

 course, the final and determining factor in every case, and 

 may be sufficient of itself to account for the differential 

 features of two breeds. The judge is concerned with 

 the origin, history and development of the breeds only 

 in so far as they have been factors in the creation of breed 

 type and character. There is reflected, more or less, in 

 the typical representatives of the different breeds, the 

 three factors which have influenced their development. 

 Since there can be bred on, only such characters as have 

 originally been bred into a breed, there are good economic 

 reasons why these distinctive and useful breed characters 

 should be recognized by the judge and their true signifi- 

 cance appreciated. 



55. The best breed. — There is scarcely a breed of 

 horses, cattle, sheep or swine that does not possess, by 

 virtue of one or more of these factors, some one character 

 in greater degree than does any other breed, and it is, 

 on this account, better adapted to some particular per- 

 formance or production. By guarding zealously in our 

 selections these characters, thus retaining the integrity and 

 identity of the breed, we are insuring stock that is much 



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