iooo The Danish System of Cattle Breeding, [march, 



were presented at these shows, there were in 1908 more than 

 1,200. At some local shows as many as 250 old bulls are 

 shown every year. 



Methods of Judging Cattle. — At these shows a new prin- 

 ciple was introduced, viz., the judging of the bulls through 

 their offspring. Prizes are not awarded for bulls five years 

 old or older unless their offspring, which must be judged 

 before the show, have been found satisfactory ; the quality 

 of the offspring is undoubtedly the best proof of the breeding 

 value of a bull, and although the judging of the offspring 

 takes a long time, it is a most useful institution, and a special 

 feature of the Danish shows. 



At these shows the judges do not restrict themselves to a 

 consideration of the points of the exhibited animal, but also 

 take into account in the case of bulls the pedigree, and 

 information as to the milk production of the dam, grand 

 dam, &c, and in the case of cows the milk production, both 

 as regards quantity and quality. 



Breeding Centres. — Another means of developing cattle- 

 breeding has been the systematic selection of the best herds, 

 which receive an official designation as "Breeding Centres." 

 Experience has shown that certain herds have had a very 

 great influence by supplying good breeding animals to other 

 herds. It is, therefore, a matter of great importance to find 

 such prominent herds and to encourage their formation, in 

 order that good breeding animals may be distributed from 

 them. It has been one of the special aims of the cattle shows 

 to draw attention to such herds, but at the shows only a few 

 animals from a herd are shown, and these not average 

 specimens but the best individuals. It is also impossible at 

 a show thoroughly to study the descent and the breeding 

 quality of the animals, while their milk production cannot 

 be properly estimated with due regard to the feeding, the 

 way of keeping and of milking, time of calving, and other 

 conditions affecting the production. For these reasons the 

 judging at the shows has its distinct limitations, and a new 

 feature, viz., competitions between the best herds in the 

 country, has been introduced. 



These competitions are carried on during two whole years; 

 a Committee of Judges visit each of the competing herds 



