The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1921-12-07
Breeder Answers
Recent Article
on Conditions.

on COnQlClOnS.
In the Redwood Gazette of
November %, appeared an art
ticle reprinted from the Franklin
Tribune on What Prices Show.
This article contains much truth
but at the same time a part Of it
is misleading and might give the
wrong impression to some.
While conditions mentioned
actually existed at one time, we
must not forget that none of the
wild speculation and profiteering
has been going on in the pure
bred business for the last fifteen
months. 1t is true that the pure
bred business has suffered a
great setback, much the same as
other lines of business.
But the new breeder, who was
induced to buy a large number
of high priced animals, is the
heavy loser after the great
slump. At one time we had the
constructive breeder and the
Spectator. Some owned herds
while others did not. We had
promoters the oily-tongue sales
men working their confidence
game. But now we have only
the constructive breeder. He,
too, suffered a heavy loss, but as
a rule the old constructive breed
er is in very good shape. Do not
forget there is a big difference
between a livestock Spectator
and a livestock breeder.
Now the facts of the whole
situation were these; when the
lso-called boom was on in 1919
and early 1920, these spectators
or promoters, as they are some
times called, saw their opport-
unity to reap harvest. Who
were their victims? Nearly all
ways the unsuspecting, innocent,
new beginner, that had no ex-
perience in breeding purebred
animals, no knowledge of pedi-
gree, type and value, and in
many cases no knowledge of the
care of purebred animals.
But the real curse at that time
was that they were selling many
animals of a mediocre type at
high prices to the new beginner,
and many of these animals were
only fit for slaughter.
There is a vast difference in
pure bred animals. We might
say that only SO per cent Of the
animals in most purebred herds
are fit for breeding, while the
poor animal has just as good a
pedigree. To a man that has no
knowledge Of animals they all
look very much the same, and
the new man can be easily led on.
The value of an animal is bas-
ed on it's breeding ability. If a
sire cannot show Improvement
lin the herd through his get he is
of very little value. The prices
paid for breeding animals de-
ponds largely on who buys them.
For instance take a breeder who
has been breeding animals for a
long period of years, who has a
reputation established and has
on hand large number of high
class females. The value of a
good sire to this breeder would
be hard to estimate and often
runs into high figures. On the
Iother hand new breeder that
knows very little about mating
and caring for animals, could not
use a high priced animal with
out loss, especially on small
number Of females.
There is one way only to go
into the purebred business. That
is to buy two or three good amin
ais, gradually growing into it,
learning the business as your
herd grows. You must have
practical experience and full
knowledge Of it to make a sue
cess. The man with unlimited
means will be a failure sooner or
later unless he thoroughly und-
lerstands the business.
The point that we want to inn
press on the minds of the public
lis that the wild speculation and
gambling which was going on in
| the purebred business two years
|ago, has been done away with,
but we can say that the price
boosting, speculation and pro-
fiteering is still going on in many
|other lines Of business at the
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