Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1868-03-06
westminster Farmers Club. Feb.a4.
STOCK BREEDING.

President in the chair BY vote of the
club this subject was taken up, (being
previously presented by Mr.. Goodhue,)
viz: Z" Have we any rule specific in the
breeding of our domestic animals" Hor-
ace Goodhue opened the discussion by
remarking that his views when expressed
might differ from many of the club, but
this was what brought us together, twas
to compare views. assume the ground
that we have no practical, specific rule
in the breeding of our domestic animals.
In mathematics we have fundamental
rules from which we never deviate except
they produce the same result, in the
propogating of animals we should have.
One thing is certain, like begets like.
We see it in the resemblance of child to
parent. In breeding of animals if the
sire and dam both look right, looking
back three or four generations, no need
of producing pedigree from the herds Of
England. /. We have erred in paying such
fabulous prices for said to be thorough
blood from English ancestry, because it
could be traced through the herd books.
Many poor animals, it was so seen at our
late fair (being one of the judges | saw
Durhams (so-called) | would not drive
home and keep three years for them.
They palm off poor stock upon us. In
regard to sheep, few years ago our coun-
try was running excessively into the
raising of bucks on account of prices,
until now oyerstocked and gone down,
and am glad of it. Now the opportu-
nifty is within everybody's reach to make
a selection, think CampbelPs success,
much of it, is owing TO the buck he OBJ
tanned from Ebenezer Briggs of Pomfret,
for which he paid l think s25-he was
not claimed to be pure blood. 1 got one
of the same man and same time which
did not prove as good.
N. FISHER, Esq.-It is essential in
reference to the breeding of animals to
breed from pure blcol Campbell will not
use one buck in hundred that he raises.
50 with Hammond. He experiments and
selects, said to breed Sin and in" & o.
called deeming it the true system, selling
what we might call in the main refuse
bucks, that is, they probably would prove
so as sires. In regard to horses the best
are sold in the market and an inferior
class left for us to breed from. Though
an inferior looking animal for instance,
a mare that apparently is ordinary often
will produce extraordinary colts, because
she possesses good blood. | think the
dam has more to do with her progeny
than the sire. X believe that Camp
bells success as a sheep raiser depended
more upon an extra class of ewes, than
sires. Our trouble has been in not breed
ing exclusively from our best ewes and
best only. s...
j. c. RICHARDSON, ESQ., think Mr..
Goodhue is incorrect; matters not how a
creature looks if his blood is right. You
may go far back and frequently poor an
imals will crop out; if the blood is right
your animals will be uniform. l conf
IDENTIFY believe that as much depends up
on the sire as dam. l would have them
pure thoroughbred upon both sides, in
order to expect success in the breeding Of
uniformly good animals.
w. R. KIMBALL.-I shall speak of cows
only. The Ayrshire when first bred some
seventy years ago, was of diminutive
size, ill-shaped, chine Of their backs stood
up high and narrow, sides lank, short and
thin, their hides thick, and adhering tc
the bones, hair coarse, cows yielding, (but
few of them more than three or four
quarts Of milk per day when in their
best plight. Now from long and judi
cious course, in breeding, by not only Sc
lecting the dams from that family of an
cestors known as good mixers, but using
sires invariably emanating from the same
line Of ancestral development, guided by
no ordinary skill and perseverance, max
ing the milking quality the point until
now we have an Ayrshire COW owned by
Seth Scammon of Stratham, N. H., ter
years old last spring that gave 800 lbs
of milk in ten days. In seven days in
the month of last June there was made
from her milk 2sl lbs. of butter. Such
the, effect of long judicious breeding and
keeping. Cows that milk we'll two o,
three months are not the COWS, but those
that hold out for II months in the u.
Capt TITcoMB.-ln raising stock get
the best consider what you want, if fol
dairying go in for the best mixers, if 70,
team or oxen then for that. 1t is said
the Attorneys are the best and dom
know but they are; they look fine, ap
pear well and behave well from what
discover. Some think the Durhams fo,
milk as good as any. The first cattle