Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1878-09-26
BREEDING FOR SEX

BREEDING FOR SEX.
Nearly every breeder has his empirical
method OF controlling the sex Of the pro.
produce Of his herds and tlocks. That this
Is Il very desirable end to attain, is an ex-
cuse for the many theories that are held up.
on this subject, AND the frequent and per-
sistent practice OF them without practical
results. There is no need to refer to the
generally accepted theory and most fire.
, quent practice favored by breeders. Every
one. knows OF it who has given any atten-
ton to the breeding OF stock. But every
one does not know upon what intangible
bases French sauamts (so-called found t!eo-
RES. Tie French are too sanguine by half,
aud are too often led into making claims
TOR discoveries which they have yet not dis
covered. Now, if the French theory Of re-
production Is true, every breeder can con-
troll The condition of his stock with ease.
But vino has done 1t as yet? Again, among
Wild inlmals we ought to sec evidences OF
the tratii of this theory, Which, if anywhere
should get into practice in their tllconlruli-
ed copdilion. As bearing closely upon this
question OF great interest TO breeders, come
a few facts from l%llorton'> .Siort-horn Cir
cular for the last quarter but one. These,
found in the list Of calves dropped, are as
follows II Queen Victoria's herd ut Wind
sor the six births entered were all bulls.
Nine of the ten first entries in the circular
are bull %ca!ycs. IN Mr.. Aylnaer's herd of
Booth cattle. eight of eleven calves are bulls.
Mir. Bowly's herd II majority of bull calves.
All The five entries Of The Duke IF Devon
.shirc's herd are balls. Mr.. Fosters herd
had seven calves. and all bulls. Col. King
.%scote's herd produced eight bulls aud tour
heifers. OF eleven calves in tie Duke of
Mancliester's herd. nine were bulls. Mr..
Sclatton had seven balls out Of lile calxes,
and Mr.. S''cldon's herd produced four bulls
out OF five births. The last seven INSTANCES
We're OF Bates cattle, Of high degree.
When we come I, herds of less note and
not SO high breeding, the case is reversed.
One herd had IL heitcrs to 20 bulls auoll,-
,er had S %lcifrr> and I bulls another IA heif-
ers and four bulls; another had II ncittrs
''''e aiN''iN littA - w Otiti ~
bulls +; another had Z l~lcifprs and 2 bulls.
Many more Instances might be Hdt,lud
having the same result. but these are suili-
Client To point The moral. which il. that il is
Il wclI-known physiological law that when
a race becomes weakened III constitution
from whatever cause. either by poverty.
plethora or false breeding, the births OF
male animals are in excess, thus creating a
tendency towards the extinction of the race
its dinlinution to a great extent, and
cqual;zin. it with its surrounding cirrum-
stances. In case poverty is the cause, the
numbers of the race are brought In nearer
proportion to the supply of food, and this is
then increased, because in time there are
less mouths to feed. In case of weakened
constitution the race seems to die out
through barrenness of the females or u large
excess of male births. When u race is In
the highest vigor it increases proportion
ately, end does so by the increase OF female