112 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION 



x\ : — He bred more live ones. The Berkshire breed is what 

 they have made it and inbreeding has done it. 



The point is this : From the standpoint of pure breeding 

 there are two things hkely to happen. Parents same on both sides 

 wxakly of constitution and lack of breeding power. What are the 

 two most common faults in animals generally? Those are the 

 two. One-third of children die. Why? Because they are not 

 strong enough to live. We destroy by our mistakes. That be- 

 ing true, if you bring together two lines of that kind on both 

 sides you are going to have weak constitutions or both. Two 

 things most likely to happen. Take the criminal tendencies in 

 human beings. When a woman who is criminal, and this man 

 who is criminal are related, their children in the long run will 

 be criminals. Why? Because of the prevailing tendencies of that 

 character in the blood of both of them, whether related or not. 

 The tendency to weakness of constitution is too strong in all of 

 our race, that if you practice inbreeding on both sides you are 

 likely to run into weak constitutions, etc. It is greater in some 

 races than others. The hazards are greater in cattle than horses. 

 They breed so much slower. Inbreeding necessarily means ca- 

 lamity in pure bred animals. The chances of trouble are much 

 greater. 



Mr. Campbell : — I tried inbreeding on my farm and never 

 raised one out of seven calves. 



Q : — What kind of sire did you have ? 



A : — As good as I could find. Have had a bad streak oi 

 luck. 



Mr. Gurler : — Your object here is to show the dairymen 

 how to go to work with his own herd and breed and improve the 

 herd. You are not talking of pure bred animal breeders. It 

 does seem to me that you are all right on that point. 



Mr. Davenport : — I know I am Mr. Gurler. 



Q : — We know there is need enough of the average dairy- 

 man going to work to improve his herd. I take sides with you 

 there. 



A : — I thought you would. 



Mr. Wallace: — Grading up. Talking of average dairyman. 



