The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-04-20
Home Course In
Modern Agriculture
: Breeding Live Stock
BY C. " GREGORY,
DfJision. IotOa Stare COLLEGE

little account, however, unless the
bull has the proper form. The back
and hind quarters of beef animal
are the parts that produce the high
priced meat Great width all along
the back, especially over the loin;
good spring of rib, plenty Of depth
and short legs are points that should
be looked for. Long legged bulls are
usually narrow and rangy. The legs
are of little value as meat, so the
shorter they are the better.
Quality is shown by fneness Of
hair, pliability of hide and not too
much coarseness of shoulder, head
and bone. An animal with good quail
ity will furnish a better grade of
meat, and there viii be less waste in
killing.
Thickness of flesh is one of the
most important points to look for.
BY this is meant not fat, but the nat
ural covering of lean meat. Fat can
be put on during the feeding period,
but lean meat cannot. An animal
that is thickly muscled at the begin
ming of the feeding period will fur
nish a carcass that will be well mar
bled with streaks of fat and lean,
while another on the same feed will
put most of his fat on in the form Of
tallow.
These same points are the essential
ones to look for in the selection of a
ram or boar Strong constitution,
wide, deep, blocky form, nne quality
and thick feshing are just as impor-
tant in these animals as in the bull.
OF course it viii be impossible to
find an animal that is perfect in all
points. If the females in your herd
are badly lacking in any particular
be sure to select male that is espe-
cially strong there. On the other
hand, a slight weakness on the part
Of the sire in a place where the fe-
males are especially strong may be
overlooked. An animal that has any
very serious faults, however, should
not be considered for moment.
Dairy bulls lack the fieshing and
compactness that characterize beef
animals. Low setness and extra
width of back are not so essential.
Constitution, as shown by deep
chest. wide on the bottom and a
roomy barrel, is important. A clean
head, smooth shoulder, fine limbs and
pliable skin show the quality that is
SO necessary in dairy animal. The
most important point is prepotency.
A strong chest, masculine head and
large rudimentary teats are all indi-
cations Of this. The best way to fore
cast dairy bulls prepotency, how
ever, is to look up the milk and butter
producing records of his dam and
granddams. A bull out of a high pro-
ducing cow will almost certainly be-
get heifers that will be high yielders.
The most important points to look
for in draft horses, which are the
most profitable kind to raise on the
farm, are power and endurance. Pow
er is indicated by size, compactness
and heavy muscling, especially in the
hind quarters. Endurance is shown
by strong constitution and fine quail
ity, especially of limbs.
Strict observance of these points in
the selection of a sire of any kind will
give you an animal that will in few
years bring about a great improve
ment in your herd. Pedigree should
not be neglected entirely in picking
out sire. Its chief value is in show
ing that the animal is pure bred and
that his ancestors were of the type
which you wish to develop in your
herd. To determine the latter point,
however, requires a longer study of
herd books than most farmers have
time for. If you put the chief stress
upon the individuality Of the animal
and file the pedigree away in drawer
where it can be referred to when nee
essary you will not go far wrong.
When you have found an animal Of
the desired type do not hesitate too