28 



On the Breeding of Cattle and Sheep. 



they have generally the opportunity of knowing accurately what 

 are the characteristics of the families of the animals from which 

 they hreeclj, an opportunity not possessed by those who breed only 

 for grazing purposes. In order to make a proper use of this 

 advantage^ they ought to keep accurate pedigrees of their cattle 

 and of their sheep^ and as far as possible^ when they put the males 

 and females together, recollect what have been the respective 

 qualities of the ancestors of each. They have also the opportunity, 

 by using a male cautiously at an early age, of knowings, by experi- 

 ment, whether the stock produced from him is good or bad, before 

 they run the risk of injuring their stock materially by using him 

 largely. This may be ascertained with sufficient accuracy, when 

 the produce are very young; for an experienced breeder can judge 

 with tolerable certainty what will be the shape of a calf or a lamb 

 when it grows up by seeing it soon after it is born, and before it 

 has begun to lay on fat. Nor is it necessary to see many of the 

 produce for the purpose of deciding what its general characteristics 

 will probably be. I admit that in saying this I am speaking more 

 from my experience as a breeder of cattle, than a breeder of 

 sheep but I believe the same observations will apply to both. It 

 is certain^ however, that seeing four or five calves from a bull 

 ought to be a sufficient guide to the breeder as to whether he will 

 be valuable as a sire or not. Unless there is a family likeness 

 which generally pervades through the produce from a bull, although 

 he may be valuable as the sire of oxen, it will not be safe to use 

 him as the sire of bulls. The seeing, therefore, four or five calves 

 will prove to the breeder whether there is such a family likeness 

 among them, and whether it exhibits itself in such qualities as in- 

 dicate that when they grow up they will be valuable animals. 



There is one failing to which all breeders are liable, but to 

 which the breeder of male animals, from the greater interest 

 attached to his occupation, is more peculiarly liable, and against 

 which he ought most carefully to guard himself; this is, too great 

 a partiality for animals bred by himself. In order to guard against 

 this, he ought to occupy himself more in looking for faults than in 

 discovering merits in his stock, he ought to listen to every criticism 

 he hears made upon them, even by those whose judgment he does 

 not hold in high estimation — not, of course, with the view of being 

 satisfied at once that the criticism is correct, but with the view of 

 satisfying himself, by accurate and candid examination, whether it 

 is so or not ; and he ought frequently to see the stock belonging to 

 other breeders, and fairly compare its merits with those of his own. 



I think it most probable that in the foregoing observations 

 nothing will be found which will give nev/ and useful information 

 to practical farmers ; but I have been induced to submit them to 

 the English Agricultural Society, because I conceive that one of 



