Domestic Animals: History and description of the horse, mule, cattle, sheep, swine, poultry and farm dogs; with directions for their management, breeding, crossing, rearing, feeding, and preparation for a profitable market; also their diseases and remedies. Together with full directions for the management of the dairy.Allen, Richard Lamb
Science
Domestic Animals: History and description of the horse, mule, cattle, sheep, swine, poultry and farm dogs; with directions for their management, breeding, crossing, rearing, feeding, and preparation for a profitable market; also their diseases and remedies. Together with full directions for the management of the dairy.
Allen, Richard Lamb
Domestic animals
2d. These qualities, technically called _points_, should be inbred in
the animals as far as practicable, by a long line of descent from
parents similarly constituted. The necessity for this rule is evident
from the fact, that in mixing different species, and especially
mongrels, with a long-established breed, the latter will most strongly
stamp the issue with its own peculiarities. This is forcibly illustrated
in the case of the Devon cattle, an ancient race, whose color, form, and
characteristics are strikingly perpetuated, sometimes to the sixth or
even a later generation. So far is this principle carried by many
experienced breeders, that they will use an animal of indifferent
external appearance, but of approved descent, (_blood_,) in preference
to a decidedly superior one, whose pedigree is imperfect.
3d. All the conditions of soil, situation, climate, treatment, and food,
should be favorable to the object sought.
4th. As a general rule, the female should be relatively larger than the
male. This gives ample room for the perfect development of the f[oe]tus,
easy parturition, and a large supply of milk for the offspring, at a
period in its existence, when food has a greater influence in perfecting
character and form, than at any subsequent time.
5th. Exceptions to this rule may be made, when greater size is required
than can be obtained from the female, and especially when more vigor and
hardiness of constitution are desirable. For this purpose, strong
masculine development in the sire is proper, and if otherwise
unattainable, something of coarseness may be admitted, as this may be
afterwards corrected, and nothing will atone for want of constitution
and strength.
6th. Pairing should be with a strict reference to correcting the
imperfections of one animal, by a corresponding excellence in the other.
7th. _Breeding in-and-in_, or propagating from animals nearly allied,
may be tolerated under certain circumstances, though seldom; and only in
extreme cases between those of the same generation, as brother and
sister. When the animal possesses much stamina and peculiar merit, which
it is desired to perpetuate in the breed, it may be done either in the
ascending or descending line, as in breeding the son to the parent, or
the parent to his own progeny. This has been practised with decided
advantage, and in some cases has even been continued successively, as
low as the sixth generation.
8th. It is always better to avoid close relationship, by the selection
of equally meritorious stock-getters of the same breed, from other
sources.
9th. Wholesome, nutritious food, at all times sufficient to keep the
animals steadily advancing, should be provided, but they must never be
allowed to get fat. Of the two evils, starving is preferable to surfeit.
Careful treatment, and the absence of disease, must be always fully
considered.
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