Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-05-04
The Evils OF Close Breeding---Is There
No Better Wayi

of Stockman," Mr.. Talcott and Colonel
Curtis, in the Rural New Yorker on this
very important subject with much interest.
We have followed similar discussions for
years in the various stock journals, and
other agricultural papers, and the subject is
also one which our professional studies have
made familiar to us. Yet we have never
"taken hand in" so far as the question Of
stock-breeding in concerned, because we are
not practical expert, Nevertheless we will
venture now to offer few thoughts for
what they may be worth.
1t is entirely true that the good qualities
of breed may be intensified by crossing
together selected animals of high merit.
breed may also be "run out" so far as the
progeny of particular individuals are con-
cerned, by breeding together those with
similar defects. Individuals of one family
having great merits, when bred together,
usually have offspring in which those merits
are enhanced The same is true in regard
to dement's and defects. 1t must be ad-
mitted that perfection is nowhere to be
found. There is "an out in everything.
"The trail of the serpent is over them ALL"
So when we undertake to breed animals to-
gether to intensity merits which they share
in common, we are also compelled at the
same time to intensity the demerits which
they also have in common. Some of the
merits and some of the demerits are visible.
Others are undiscernible, even by the best
trained eyes. Both the visible and the in
visible are ineradicable factors, sure to
manifest themselves in the final result. If
we undertake to boil down water in which
both sugar and salt have been dissolved, we
get it sweeter, it is true, but we also get it
salter. So it is with inbreeding.
In skillful hands, for time very beautiful
results are achieved by inbreeding. The
various families of Shorthorns are most dis
tinguished evidences of this. But they are
"kittle CATTLE The nearer you bring them
to perfection, the nearer they are to extinc-
ton. The Duchess family is the most con-
spicuous example, but not the only one.
Examples are not wanting in all the Bates
strains. They are seen in some of the
Booth strains, though as beef alone, and not
beef and milk, was the aim of the Booths,
the problem was simpler, and faults more
easily avoided. The same trouble has been
met with in both Atwood and Hammond
Merinos; and in fact everywhere that close
breeding has been pushed far. Where this
is most easily done (swine show iD the re-
suits are the worst. And there is no pay Of
avoiding Il, except by swerving from the
principle and taking "out-crosses."
Are we, then, opposed to close breeding
To improve races or breeds, yes. To i'm
prove families or herds, no. Races and
breeds were not made by close breeding, and
cannot be so improved. Races and breeds
are made by the environment" natural or
artificial, or both. The process of both race
and breed making is going on all over the
civilized world where domestic animals are
kept, but systematic inbreeding has no part
in it. 1t is going on here in Vermont very
rapidly among our dairy herds, simply by
the survival of the fittest and the turning of
the unfit because unproftable) to the
butcher. The spread of knowledge among
farmers hastens it. The increased prosper.
ity, which begins with it, hastens it still
faster. AS rule, the introduction of close
bred sires does not help it, but rather hin.
ders it,-according to our observation and
the report of those who have tried it. Some
times a passing benefit is seen, but just SC
far as a farmers thoughts are diverted from
good feeding and careful selection to inbred
stock from outside of his own herd, he slides
back. A little inbreeding sometimes help:
him make more butter, but he must touch
it lightly. Once in while there is mar
with capital, good luck and good judgment
all combined, that can make close breeding
profitable. 1t was once so, much more thar
now. The successes of the Ceilings, ol
Bakewell, of Bates, of Booth, of Hammond
will not be repeated. Their methods in the
long run have not been advantageous Il
customers and successors except so far as
money has been made out Of booms," will
no bottom. Taken as whole, the les,
close bred Shorthorns have been the mos
profitable. The IIerefords of which ther,
are no specially famous "strains," are thu
equals of the Shorthorns for meat. Tn,
Ayrshires, of which the same may be said
beat them for milk. Look over all th,
other breeds of all sorts of stock and the bes
are those in which inbreeding has not beer
pushed to excess. Perfection OF the ind
vidual is secured by inbreeding, but perfec
ton of the breed, and especially its perpetu
alton in the close bred lines, is not in tina
way obtained or obtainable, in our opinion
based on long study and observation.