I860.] 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



657 



incapacity. This is even more evident with 

 heifers. 



In conjunction with this part of my subject, it 

 may be desirable to make a few passing comments 

 upon the chief points of character which should 

 be possessed by breeding animals. I do so ir- 

 respective of breed ; for although each distinct 

 breed may have its own peculiarities, yet there 

 are certain qualities which should be possessed 

 by all breeds in common with each other. The 

 first point to be clearly settled is the class of 

 animal to be produced. It is not enough to 

 decide upon breeding fromfc cow or heifer ; we 

 must rather decide what we want to produce, 

 and select our animals accordingly. It may 

 be either breeding, dairy, or beef-producing 

 stock, which is required, but each renders a 

 modified course desirable, and I may say ne- 

 cessary. 



Breeding Stock. — As a general rule, it may 

 be taken that, to produce superior stock, no 

 middle course is safe or successful. The best 

 stock obtainable should be bred from, and it is 

 bad policy to spare any moderate outlay in se- 

 curing first-class animals. Many obtain second- 

 ers animals, and endeavour to raise from them 

 superior breeding stock. I am convinced it is 

 a wrong policy to adopt. Breeders will not 

 generally spare their best animals, and it fre- 

 quently happens that the best cannot be ob- 

 tained. In such cases there is no choice but to 

 select the best that may be obtainable. 



In such cases pedigree is fully entitled to our 

 consideration, and it is desirable that it should 

 be watched with care. In all cases where the 

 breed has been carefully preserved pure, great 

 benefit will result from doing so. The cha- 

 racter of a breed becomes more and more con- 

 centrated and confirmed in a pedigree animal, 

 and this character is rendered more fully 

 hereditary in proportion to the number of 

 generations through which it has been trans- 

 mitted. By the aid of pedigree, purity of blood 

 may be insured, and a systematic plan adopted 

 by which we can perpetuate distinct families, 

 and thereby obtain a change of blood without 

 its being a cross. It is evident that any one 

 adopting a systematic arrangement will be 

 able to do this more effectually than another 

 without this aid. This is the more important 

 when the number of families is small, as is the 

 case with Devonsand Herefords, especially the 

 former. The individual animals from which 

 the Devons are descended are very limited in 

 number and in a few hands, but, with some 

 honourable exceptions, little attention is given 

 to this point. The importance is rendered evi- 

 dent by the decreasing size of the breed, the 

 number of barren heifers, and the increased 

 delicacy of constitution shown in the stock of 

 many breeders of that district who are not par- 

 ticular in this respect. The contrast between 

 such herds, and those in which more care and 

 judgment are exercised, renders the advan- 

 tages of attention to pedigree very evident; for 



here the strength of constitution is retained, 

 together with many of the advantages of this 

 valuable breed. 



Having then, with due consideration, selected 

 the breed and the families of that breed pos- 

 sessing the points which arc to be perpetuated, 

 it is necessary to take individuals therefrom. 

 The cows should be characterised by an apti- 

 tude for producing fine calves and bringing 

 them to a full degree of development. They 

 should therefore be good milkers, for the value 

 of the produce will be very much regulated by 

 this character. We shall have occasion to see 

 subsequently that this property is in no degree 

 prejudicial to any other desirable point of cha- 

 racter. This tendency to produce milk not 

 only influences the supply of food to the young 

 animal after its birth, when any deficiency 

 may be remedied, but it regulates the growth 

 of the calf before birth when a substitute 

 cannot be used. Thus many of our best- 

 bred short-horn cows produce calves which are 

 very imperfectly developed and exceedingly 

 weak — so much so, that many persons accus- 

 tomed to inferior stock would consider them, 

 scarcely worth rearing. This is mainly refer- 

 able to the supply of nourishment given to the 

 calf being so small, for the subsequent supply 

 of milk clearly indicates how limited had been 

 the support given to the foetus. 



This neglect of the milking disposition is a 

 great evil at the present day, and our best 

 breeds are suffering, and will continue to suf- 

 fer, from it until more attention is given to 

 this point in the awards at the National Exhi- 

 bitions. Here it should be made a leading; 

 point of merit, and this would stimulate breed- 

 ers to give more attention to it. It has been' 

 sadly overlooked, but it is in the power of the- 

 Highland Agricultural Society, and other 

 kindred societies, to do much to bring our 

 breeding cows into a more satisfactory state iit 

 this respect. Already, great complaints have 

 been made of stock sent abroad, and particu- 

 larly from America, which acts prejudicially on 

 ourselves; and when it is seen that the posses- 

 sion of milking properties may be advantage- 

 ously encouraged even in our best breeds, it is 

 evident that it is only necessary to draw atten- 

 tion repeatedly to this fact, and sooner or later 

 it must be corrected. 



Breeding cows should also possess strong 

 and healthy constitutions, and there are certain 

 developments of figure which indicate their ex- 

 istence. No one would consider a flat-ribbed 

 animal with a narrow carcass and contracted 

 chest to give promise of health ; neither would 

 the rising of the rump-bone be a good feature. 

 These are sure signs of predisposition to con- 

 sumption and diarrhoea, 'the full round barrel 

 and the deep wide chest, together with a level 

 back and broad pins, are essential points of 

 healthy constitutions. 



We arc well aware that many diseases are 

 ransmitted from the parent to the offspring,. 



