Management oj Aberdeen Angus Cattle. 
107 
Nothing is more hereditary than the power to reproduce 
stock. Some families are noted for being regular breeders — 
and here let me say that regular breeders are as a rule good 
milkers : breeding and milking go hand in hand. The cows of 
these families go on breeding year after year, and even if they 
should unfortunately suffer from abortion, they readily breed 
again, and continue to do so till stopped by old age. The bulls 
of these families are also good servers and sure getters. On the 
other hand, the members of some families, both male and female, 
are at best slow to breed, and when started they take the first 
opportunity or excuse to either abort or to stop breeding. So 
much is this the case that, instead of multiplying and replen- 
ishing the earth, their numbers dwindle down, and finally their 
line becomes extinct. 
Service. 
There is no more important problem for the breeder to 
consider than that of service. In the first place there is the 
question of properly mating the animals from which it is desired 
to breed ; this should be carefully thought out and arranged for 
before service time. If it is wished to obtain strong, robust 
animals there must be no close in-and-in breeding. There 
must be no uncertainty as to the health, activity, and procreative 
power of the sire, and the cows must be in a healthy breeding 
state. Cows vary as to the time they will come in use after 
calving; some come early — that is, at the third or fourth week, but 
service at this early period is not often effective ; it is therefore 
better to let them pass and serve them the next time. From 
the sixth to the ninth week after calving is a safe and reason- 
able time, but it may be that three months may elapse before 
some cows are seen to be in use ; though as a rule these late 
ones settle to their first service and give no further trouble. 
In no case should a cow or heifer be served unless cestrum is 
regular (every twenty-one days) and the animal is in a perfectly 
healthy condition. In those cases where cows are difficult to 
get settled in calf, perfect rest and change are advisable. Here 
let me strongly advise breeders to always have a post-mortem 
examination made upon all animals that may die, or that from 
any cause have to be sent to the butcher ; by doing so much 
valuable information may be obtained. In cases of death the 
cause should, if possible, be ascertained — the knowledge will be 
of use in the future, — and in the case of non-breeders the con- 
dition of the generative organs is instructive, and will often 
demonstrate not only the futility of treatment, but also the 
