Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1917-02-13
iubreeding Does Not Cause Degen.
eration.

inbreediug Does Not Cause Degen
Grafton.
In the report of the u. s. Bureau o
Animal Industry we find reference Il
work that has been done in the inbreed
ing OF guinea pigs, these animals havins
been used because they reproduce rap
idly and can be handled with Compare
lively little expense. At present there
are IL families in existence which trace
back by exclusively brother-sister mat
ings to II original pairs. Cooperating
the conclusions to be drawn from the
work thus far done, the chief of the Ami.
NAL Husbandry Division, Geo. NJ. Rom
mel, says:
"The most obvious result of the work
on inbreeding is the mere fact that the
closest possible inbreeding for over 10
generations may produce little, II any,
degeneration in growth, vitality, or fe.
cundity. As yet no specific effect of in-
breeding is wholly certain other than
the very important tendency toward ho-
mogeneity-tbe irrevocable fixing of
good, bad, or Indifferent traits within a
family. In the traits thus fixed the first
few generations of inbreeding are very
important.
This work, with other recent results,
suggests that inbreeding may be used
more extensively by the practical breed
er than it is at present. In the work of
producing new strain, as many differ
ent foundation lines of merit as practi-
cable should be started. There should
be rigid selection associated with in
breeding in each for few generations,
followed by elimination of inferior lines.
The result should be few lines practi-
cally as vigorous and fecund as normally
bred stock, yet showing q uniformity of
type unattsinable without inbreeding.",
The important suggestion contained in
the above is that, despite general opinion
TO the contrary, inbreeding causes little,
if any, degeneration in growth, vitality,
or fecundity. 1t may be somewhat
doubtful whether these conclusions
founded on experience with guinea pigs
will apply equally TO dairy cattle, but
lacking conclusive experimentation Ii is
suits. At least it should be sufficient for
further work with dairy stock, not for
getting that bad as well as good traits
may become fixed and the inbreeding
must be accompanied by rigid selection.
One reason for the failure of couclu-
sively demonstrating the desirability
or the undesirsbility of in-and-iubreed-
ing is due to the fact that few individ-
uals have the money TO follow the theory
70 its logical conclusion or, II they do,
their life Is too short and the work IL
not continued. 1t is TO be hoped that
our experiment stations or some endow-
ed institution will take hold of the stu
alton in an Intelligent manner, lay the
foundation for quarter or half Gen.
tury OF more Of experimental work with
dairy animals, and have their plans so
drawn that irrespective Of the individual
in immediate charge the same line OF
breeding will be carefully followed with
out change TO meet the whim or belief of
a single Individual who may have tenn
porsry control of the experimentation.
The most serious charge that has been
laid against inbreedipg has been that il
does cause degeneration In growth, vi
tality, and fecundity. In dairy cattle
breeding 1t has been accepted generally
as desirable means of fixing high pro
duction, but breeders have feared these
three untowsrd results. Now, intensive
inbreediug of guinea pigs does not indi-
cate this, and this should put greater
heart into the man who believes in in
breeding but who is fearful as to its ef-
feet on the constitution of the animal.
To be successful, however, inbreeding
will have to be prscticed with intelli-
gence and quickened understanding of
the proper mating of animals. To the
unlesrned breeder or the novice, it is a
thing largely to be avoided. -Hoard's
Dairyman.