The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1875-09-14
agricultural department.
oNoucTEp BY ALBERT CHAPMAN.
Short-Horn Breeding.

We make a few extracts from an in |
teresting paper on this subject, read s
last winter by Mr.. w. r. Duncan be- 6
fore the breeders convention ut Spring $
field, ILL.,:
Tne preeuer vi suvrt ilvl"s OF
this day. after so much has been done
for their Improvement, finds quite a
variety of formation in his females, very
few of them approximating a perfect
model. Defects In constitution and
formation cannot be remedied by the
use of male possessing similar ones,
however desirable his pedigree. In
deciding what male In your herd, or
within your reach, you will use on
certain female, you should depend to
some extent on the blood of each, but
mainly on their constitution and for
nation. While would not advise the
use of sire of different family for
every generation, l would recommend
the use of one of the most robust constl-
tuition and most perfect formation, with
such an amount of fresh blood as would
insure the breeder against loss, either
In constitution, size or form. While l
know that the breeding of consanguin-
eous animals together does not always
result in such loss, yet it often does,
and whom onoe auatained, the breeder
has lost both time and position.
Like produces like. Defective for
nation in each parent, where the con-
stitution Is about the same, will most
likely increase the defect; If one parent
has more constitution than the other,
characteristics will be most generally
influenced by the parent with the most
constitution. For this reason, as the
male is generally the most athletic, he
should be as perfect In form as possible
and free from constitutional faint. This
should be the case whether you are
breeding in the line, as it Is called, or
not. Breeding together consanguin-
eous animals, or in the family to the
extent it has been done by some breed
ers In England and by some others in
this country. do not favor.
The sexes should not be coupled at
too early all age OF too often. AS l
have given my views on this point in
different article, l will not particu-
larize here, but state in general terms
that by proper treatment the male
should continue to produce as long as
he can serve, and the female until she
to m txua nfxr of
If In proper health, varying time ac-
cording to the operations of nature.
The use of the male may commence at
fourteen or fifteen months old, and be
continued without any apparent inju-
~, provided 1t Is done with care and
judgment for the first year, using him
just as seldom as possible. 1t would
be best for the animal and his produce
that he should not be used for the first
two years of his life, beyond the few
times necessary to test his provocative
powers. Every male Is a preferable
sire after he is three years old, provid-
ed he has been only moderately used
previous to that time, and only kept
in the best condition as a sire. Many
males are virtually destroyed as sires
before they arrive at the period of the
often lost with the female by being
coupled at too young an age with a
male much larger and older than her.
self, which would not be the case if the
male was of the same age or younger.
l would recommend that the first
coupling be with male not older than
the female. and of the most desirable
blood, color and form.
Natures laws are such that the first
act of population, or the one resulting
in the first pregnancy, the appearance
of the male used at the time, and dur
ing the period, the color with the gen.
eral appearance of the first offspring,
are likely to influence to some extent
the second and third, and it may be
the whole of the offspring, although by
different sires.
fla male much larger and older than
the female is used, the service Is quite
likely to result in such an injury as to
set up inflammation at the mouth of the
womb, which will most certainly pre-
but during the period Of its existence
The repeated use of the male during
such condition greatly prolongs the
time Of unfruitfulness, as the infiamma-
ton is increased by each service. 1t
can only be removed and fruitfulness
restored, by depletion of the system
to some extent by the use of lancet,
or by reducing the quantity and quail
ity of the food, and the quiet of the
parts disturbed. This can easily be
done in few months, when one SER
vice by male younger than the fe-
male Tor If from one older and larger,
slight one) will most generally result
in the accomplishment ofthe breeders
object.-[Country Gent.