ANIMAL BniOKDlNd 101 



In the ordinary practice of breeding, in-breeding and 

 frequently also close iDreeding are generally avoided. This is 

 considered a delicate problem which only the best breeders 

 should meddle with. It is generally held that offspring pro- 

 duced by mating relatives are likely to be inferior by being 

 smaller, weaker, deformed, etc. In the human family this is a 

 question of such importance that national laws and popular 

 opinion prevent marriages between relatives. 



In-breeding brings together and combines similarities and, 

 therefore, fixes characteristics from sire and dam that are 

 similar. As shown previously, these may contain character- 

 istics of an inferior kind in a recessive or invisible form. 

 When related animals are mated these weaknesses are com- 

 bined and intensified in the offspring. This will result in 

 inferiority. If, on the other hand, related animals that are 

 mated are made up of all strong and no weak points that are 

 visible or invisible, these will also become fixed and the result 

 will be a very good individual. 



Since nearly all animals are affected with weaknesses in- 

 breeding should not generally be practised. It can and should 

 be practised, however, if the proper kind of individuals can 

 be mated. This again requires extraordinary ability on the 

 part of the breeder. 



As in-breeding is supposed to produce debility, so cross 

 breeding is supposed to produce vigor. Whether this is true 

 is not yet a settled question. In experience, good pure-bred 

 animals are just as good for meat or work animals as good 

 cross-bred ones. It is also generally known that cross-bred 

 animals cannot successfully be used for breeding purposes. 

 This being true it becomes a fact that by cross breeding one 

 destroys all the improvement and excellence of careful and 

 painstaking work previously done. Thus, there is nothing 

 to be gained and everything to be lost by cross breeding. 



A Pure Bred. — A pure-bred animal is one that is recorded. 

 That is, its name, together with its date of birth, breeder, 

 owner, its sire and dam, etc., are on record in the office or 

 publications of the breed association. With some breeds 

 there are several registry associations. Most associations at 

 at the present time require that both sire and dam of the 



