The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-06-29
BREEDING FOR BESTRESULTS
DEVELOPMENT OF THOROUGH
BREEDS BY EXPERIMENT

The Subject Should BE Interesting
to Every Farmer-Conscient
Herds--HOw Degeneracy, Even
Among Thcroughbreds, May De-
veIop-The Proper Age of Males.
The subj ct Of live stock bre ding and the
best methods to be pursued in order to secure
the best results, is which ought never
To become wearisome, under intelligent dis
cussion, among those who are prac Ideally in
te.ested in the higher development of the
sIec.es Something Is bei1 g continually learn
ed through experiment, by which means all
that is best in results has been developed.
There is always something novel in the study
of these processes, no matter what may be
the species with which they are identih d.
Take. for instance, the most famous breeds OF
cattle. Each had its origin in the crossing
OF Ia.iye stocks il different localities, purs led
or the same lines generation upon generation,
until a standard quality was secured. Then
csme the interbl eeding of male and fema
representatives of this particular st elk. IN
I'll a thoroughbred was produced in which the
NATIVES forming the basis were swallowed Up
and obliterated. The principle is akin to the
DEVELOPMENT of a choice fruit through the
process of ENGRAVING and incubation. Take
the Durham Shorthorn breed OF cattle as
al Illustration, this had its origin In tie
crossing Of the native British COWS of several
centuries ego with laI ge-frame1 b~l
brought from the continent of Europe. The
home OF the native cows forming partial
basis for the Shorthorn, was in the north
east OF England and in the county OF Dur
ham. It was here the experiments were con-
Quoted; hence the locality gave to the newly
developed breed its name. Through similar
experiments and prccs s have general thu
other breeds. such as the Herefords, the
Aberdeen Angus and the like, which nave
made their respective localities in the Brit
ish Isles familiar to the ears or American
farmers.
INTO the United States has in no sense v-tiat-
ID the blocd of the original stock. Where
the attempt has been made to maintain Its
purity, and the thoroughly conscientious
breeder of pure bred stock In this country
lakes a Just pride in the increase OF his u
tefled herds. and would regard anything In
The way OF contamination OF the strain as IN
the nature of decay. But in spite OF all the
efforts that have been made and the labor
bestowed in the direction of properly lncreas-
ing our lines Of nativee born thoroughbreds.
L great defic ency in this respect continues 10
exist. FSr more than se-fourtks of cen
fury the pure bred Shorthorn and Hereford
nave been among us; but it is, comparatively
speaking rare circumstance to see solid
herd OF thoroughbred steers pass from the
cars through the chutes and into the sales
pens of any live stock yards in the country.
And this condition is largely due to the per-
vers- ty of growers OF live stock themselves,
the majority OF whom are indifferent as TO
quality and blndly content themselves win
The silly argument that one steer is just as
good as another. Now the real difference is
akin to that existing between gold and silver,
Or silver a-d cop er, steel and iron There
is increased value in the higher quality OF
every species of live stock, and so these will
continue to be until everything but the best
shall have become extinct, and then the con-
test will be between the superior and the IN
ieri3- leprCs, natives Of specific breeds.
And at this point another interesting and
Important cement is discovered in connec-
ton with breeding at the present day. There
are always inferior products even among
thoroughbreds Such issue may properly
enough be the results of unhealthy physical
conditions existing in the sire or dam, or in
both at the time of service. Or there may
have been lack of proper care and nourish-
ment in the case of the dam during the pc
riod of CESSATION. Either of these conditions
might equally be a palpable cause Of degen-
eracy on the part of the offspring. But the
issue is thoroughbred, and such, male or
female, the animal is perhaps sod, only to-
carry and project his or her individual weak
ness into another generation. 1t is not infre
QueIrt thai because a male animal, for In
stance reveals a lack of stamina, he is dis
posed of at lower price, and he is secured
as a bargain by an unthnking farmer, who
only rejoices in the fact that he is possessed
of a thoroughbred. 1t is a quality of the
thoroughbred male that he demonstrates his
prepotency, and if he is merely a scrub in
his own high-bred family he is likely TO be-
come the sire of line of scrubs by reason
OF his natural prepotency in the process of
propagation.
The question is often asked cat what age
may a thoroughbred bull be put to service?'
Perhaps as intelligent an answer to this query
as can be given is made by writer to the
Breeders Gazette, who says:
1t depends g. great deal how bull calf
has been kept for early development; but,
allowing that he has been fed and otherwise
properly developed, twelve tbs is an
early age to use him to any extent and l
consider fifteen to eighteen months young
OF animals should be developed and the ami
nal in manner matured before breeding
else there will be degeneration in size and
constitution. The too early of bull
has tendency to impair future value.
On this point, too, as we'll as on the gen
eral subject of prepotency, the views of Prof.
Thomas Shaw, recently given in the Ohio
Farmer, are apt we'll as instructive He
says:
Proficiency is probably the most important
consideration in a good sire. In a sire in
ferior in individuality 1t would be a mistor-
tune. Hence the great wisdom of stunning
scrub pure-breds. They are likely to be pre-
potent because of their pure breeding Now
when sires are chosen while yet young their
prepotency has not been proved We can
only judge of probable prepotency by those
factors which would seem to produce it, viz:
purity of breeding and stamina But both
of these combined are not an absolute guar
anty OF prepotency Of the right kind. Subtle
influences not fully understood may operate
adversely. Prepotency therefore cannot be
guaranteed with absolute certainty before 1t
has been proved Hence the wisdom of using
young sire but cautiously at first until his
progeny bear testimony to his prepotency
But often times sres put upon the mar
ket for slaughter while yet in the meridian
of vigor, Notwithstanding that their proved
prepotency is of a high order Those who
must invest in sires should always prefer
such animals to younger sires of equal indi-
yiduality whose prepotency has not yet been
proved.
The purchase of young sires, that is, Of
sires whose development is yet an uncertain
ty, should be Stunned. Many morning radi-
ant with promise turns into a lowering
o threatening day. and so it is with sires
sometimes of exceptional promise when quite
young. Their after development does mo-
bear out the high expectations based upoI
that promise. 1t is not wise therefore tt
choose sires until we know what may be ex
pected of them in development
WHEAT RULED LOWER.
Sharp Depression In Liverpool
Prices Was the Principal