Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1901-03-29
k,ee ding Ideal Tyne.

AIfesuinE Ideal Type. a
It seems to lis that there Is a great
deal OF false doctrine going the rounds
Of the press and institutes On the SUBJ
1ect Of breeding, and the explanation
IS evidently to be found in lack Of
familiarity with the laws OF breeding
as set down by scientists who hzge
studied the matter properly. We are
led to make the above remarks by see
ing such statements as the following:
II you want to breed good hogs Of
loeal type then pick big, slabsided
low and breed her to a short. stub
and-tWist boar" Anon: III your sows
are plainly deficient in one respect go
OUT ana find boar that is abnormally
sooo IN the point where the sow is de-
ilclent and he will counterfeit the bad
iau1t or the SOW" That means that
Nc Will oeget pigs that are unlike him
self and at the same time unlike the
80" or In other words prove to be
tne sire OF pigs that are q sort OF COM
promise between the two abnormal
types OF the sire and dam. Now this
IS utter foolishness. Like produces
axe IN as much as nature through the
law OF heredity transmits to progeny
tne type and characteristics of the par
cut which have become fixed charac-
,eis OF the parents family. This hered-
IVY IS possessed equally by the sire
'.nd dam If each has been as long bred
In line hence the mating of the two
out ole2ds too SIMILAR tendencies and
the product is but a repetition Of the
characters of the two or a composite
OF both. The big, slabsided SOW re-
lerred to is no more a perfect ideal OF
what hog should be in appearance
than is the short, stub-and-twist boar.
Two bad factors Joined do not make
a third good quantity. The bad
SNAPPED SOW and the bad shaped boar
WILL impress upon the progeny when
mated the character of that parent
which is bred with most prepotence.
1t may be that the boar is more pre-
potent then the sow in which case the
progeny would take most after him
and so be short and Of the stub and
TWIST character, or if the SOW was most
prepotent the pigs would take after
ner peculiaritfes. There would at least
De no certainty that the blending OF the
TWO different types would effect the
creation OF third entity of superior
type to that of either SOW or boar.
This being the case what is the good
OF trying such experiments? Given
the fact that there Is an ideal hog,
ana each breeder has his ideas as to
ideal, the way to perpetuate that ideal
or TO build up towards its creation
and permanence Is not to mix two diff
ferent types hoping to establish a third
better one but to select an ideal type
as pattern then mate sows and bears
that have each the most perfect de-
Velopment Of the various points en-
terlng into the formation of that given
type. The SOW and boar should be of
the same type; both should be as per-
1oct as possible in every point of the
type but neither should be abnormal
IN any respect, for abnormalities are
apt to be sports Of nature, hence not
transmissible, while known family
characteristics, fixed in the family by
long breeding In the same line, will
repeat themselves in the progeny so
long as they are kept pure and un-
tainted. Taking what has been said
Into consideration it is then seen that
IN seeking out boar to counterac,
the bad type and characteristics of
home sows the boar chosen should be
OF as perfect shape as possible with
pedigree behind that shape which
promises that the said shape is not
accidental but fixed and likely to be
prepotently transmitted to hif pro.
geny. Such boar should be bred to
sows that are as like him as possible
II his type Is the ideal one Of the
breeder. If The sows do not suit the
breeder then 1t is better to get rid of
them than to damage the breeding e.
fects and values OF the ideal boar by
insulting him with such mates. We
assert boldly that II it be necessary
to blend two different types OF any ami
mails every breeding season to get a
third and more desirable one the
breeding operations will perpetuate a
tribe of animals lacking prepotency
and fixed type.