Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1891-12-18
shORTHoRNs fCR BREEDING.
with Each Ono Sold Should Go a Guaran-
tee of Fitness.

SHOHl HOHNS fCR 6ReeOiNG.
with Each One Sold Should Go a Guaran-
tee of Fitness.
Would it not be better, as a matter of
business, to guarantee all breeding cows
to be in calf and that they should drop
healthy calves or refund the money? Such
a rule might be abused occasionally by
dishonest purchasers who wanted to get
their money back, but such men ought
not to be breeders of Shorthorns, as they
would cheat their customers and bring
disgrace upon Shorthorns. This rule
would make breeders careful of what
they sold, for the sale would only be a
conditional one, dependent for it's COM
pletion upon the fulfllment of the guar
antee.
If a breeders stock is really what it
it should be-healthy, vigorous and
strong-the risk is not great, and is it not
better that he who is the breeder of it
should take the risk rather than an inno-
cent man without any knowledge Of the
health Of this herd? 1t is impossible for
the most careful breeder to always tell
whether his cows are in calf or not, but
if he has doubts he can retain them on
his own farm until the doubts are settled.
We all know that thousands of un-
healthy and nonbreeding Shorthorns
have been sold for breeders to innocent
new beginners in the past, to the great
injury of the parties and the noble race
of cattle, and this will be repeated again
in the future unless the leading breeders
adopt the rule l suggest or something
like it. Allow me to be personal and say
that years ago l adopted this rule for my
conduct, and l have never had a COM
plant of a COW being q nonbreeder.
If our breeding is not healthy in the
hands of the general breeder there is
something wrong with it, and this we
should correct ourselves, and not saddle
the loss upon the innocent. 1t is true
cattle are liable to the same diseases as
persons, and a healthy cow today may
be ill a month hence, resulting from i'm
proper treatment and exposure by her
new owner, and to redeem her under the
circumstances would be a great hard
ship; but had it not better be done by
the breeder if demanded, and thereby
save all talk and heart burnings?
Pampered and show cattle ought never
to be sold at a public sale, and never for
breeders, as their breeding vitality is
burned out or seriously impaired by over
feeding, and in the hands of the general
breeder they must prove a failure. Flesh
is not strength, and if long carried weak
ness and disease results. Show cattle, if
long fatted, can hardly rise, and with
difficulty walk, hence are not in condi-
ton to bring healthy calves, although I
know this is often denied by the men
who show.
A GOV to bring a strong, healthy calf
should be neither overfat nor lean, but
in good, strong, muscular flesh. AS poor
animals never show nor sell well at a
public sale the temptation with some is
to make them o~verfat, though this sell
dom occurs in the west, unless it be
show cattle. In days past many an hon
est mar has been outrageously imposed
upon and cheated by having diseased
and %nonbreeding COWS put upon him,
and is this to be repeated again and
again in the future to the great scandal
of breeders:
Cannot breeders be made to see that it
is not good business policy to sell inferior
and weak things to other breeders, since
by so doing they must know the party
will not buy the second time? Short
horns have no enemies Of any moment
save their own breeders-by s~elfshness
and a desire to get immediate money
they kill the goose that lays the golden
egg and blast their business forever.
If breeders would sell all their in
ferior animals to the butcher would not
their good things sell for enough more to
make up the loss? | believe they would.
H. M. Vale in Breeders Gazette.