Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1869-01-15
Grafton Industrial Association.

The Grafton Industrial Association
met at the residence Of Ambrose Bur
CESS, Esq, Jan. 9th, 1869. Topic for
discussion--Besr Method of breeding
Farm stock.
S. ID. CoNANT remarked that, in re-
lation to the best method of breeding
farm stock, there is way not to do 1t,
which is, always to sell the best animals;
if we have lot of calves or a flock of
lambs, some Of which are superior, allow
the purchaser if he offers a good price,
to select the very best, reserving the poor
est for our own use. By rigidly adher-
ing to this course our hocks and herds
will soon go down. The proper course
is exactly the reverse of this-we should
reject the poorer and breed only from the
best animals, both male and female, not
perhaps wholly regardless of expense,
but in this matter many are penny wise
and pound foolish. Mr.. Conant is in ia
vor of breeding in and in. In support
of this position he referred to the prac-
tice of Col. Humphreys, Mr.. Atwood,
Mr. Hammond, and Mr.. Sanford among
the breeders of Spanish merino sheep;
to the most noted breeders of coarse
wooded sheep, to the breeders of Durham
and other breeds of cattle, showing that
their course has been to breed from the
best animals, regardless of the ties of
consanguinity, and proving conclusively
that the best individuals of these breeds,
whether of cattle or sheep, have been the
result of long continued and close in and
in breeding. In answer to question,
Mr.. Conant said that he would recon-
mend in and in breeding only among
thoroughbred animals.
AMBROSE BURGESS, Esq, said that in
the breeding of cattle three important
points must always be kept in view: LIST,
to raise cows that will yield the most val
ne IN milk, butter and cheese, I'd, to
raise the best working oxen, Sd, to raise
animals which will produce the most val
ue in beef All these qualities are not
found developed to the highest degree
in any one breed of cattle. He has had
some experience in breeding Devons,
Herefords, and Creampots; in the breed
ing of Durhams his experience has been
very limited The Devons excel in those
qualities essential to good working oxen;
are no great mixers, but hold out well
and give rich milk. The Herefords are
good mixers, but usually thin of flesh
The Creampots are good mixers, but
produce unruly, vicious oxen. For milk
ing qualities his experience shows that
native cows or grades are the best. Mr..
Burgess is adverse to breeding in and in,
and related several instances in his ex-
perience where this practice had resulted
in serious loss. If he were breeding
thoroughbred stock would procure males
outside of his own herd rather than breed
entirely withinit. In order to have good
stock must raise good calves; the surest
way to do this is to let the calf run with
the COW, and if necessary with two cows,
until three months old. This course will
give the best calves, but in these days of
high priced dairy products this method
is not economical. Under the present
state of things would learn the calf to
drink would give new milk until six
weeks old, would then give skim milk
AS the calf grows older, thinks it will do
as well ON thick sour milk as on any 9th
er feed. Calves should have little ex-
ira feed during the first winter. AT the
present time stock-raising rightly man
aged, is very profitable, but to realize the
most profit farmers must keep no more
stock than they can keep WELL If three
creatures cannot be kept well, keep but
two, and at the end of the season the two
will be worth more than the three would
have been
G. w. AYREs thinks that much of the
ill success of farmers in breeding stock
is in consequence of the fact that they
breed from inferior animals. MANY that
have a diseased mare will breed from
her, the result of which is diseased, in
ferior colts. The success of in and in
breeding as argued by Mr.. Conant is
probably due to the fact that the breed
ers referred to breed only from the best
animals, only from those which are as
near perfect as possible.
The next meeting of the Association
will be held at the residence of Charles
S. White, Jan. 20, 1869. Topic for dis
cussion-Apple and Pear Culture. Speak
ers, j. ID. Pettengill and j. H. Putnam.
j. II. PUTNAM, Assistant Sec'v.