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Kent Powell




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PostSubject: Historical articles   Historical articles I_icon_minitimeSat May 26, 2012 4:54 pm

Historical articles Books?id=N9QwAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA5-PA66&img=1&zoom=3&hl=en&sig=ACfU3U3bVojCVFOWEhlFX-jIKcY-csEhwQ&ci=41%2C70%2C944%2C1221&edge=0

All Important Question Whatis Inbreeding No One Problem in Connection with Practical Breeding of Domestic Livestock Is More Discussed Than the Effect of Inbreeding Upon the Progeny Zara 33d 14 year old cow owned by James S Morse Levnnnu NY On the one hand it has been maintained that inbreeding is the most pemicious and destructive procedure that a breeder could follow And on the other hand that without its powerful aid most of what the breeder has accomplished could not have been otherwise gained and that it offers the chief hope for future advance When the Maine Agricultural Experiment Station began its animal husbandry investi ations it commenced a study of the records of registered livestoc to determine if possible what was the answer to the problem It was found that while inbreeding was much discussed there was no accurate measure of what constitutes inbreeding and that final judgment was being formed on the basis of individual interpretation without any quantitative measure of comparison Among the first contributors of the many from the Station that have proven of great value to the theory as well as the practice of breeding was an adequate measure of this much talked of and yet vague subject The problem had been attacked by many investigators but none of the published results gave a reliable measure of the real intensity of inbreeding The essential weakncss was a failure to take account of the composition of the generation to which the common ancestor of an inbred pair belongs In the now generally accepted method proposed by the Maine Station in 1913 the basic concept of inbreeding is the narrowing of the network of descent as a result of mating together individuals genetically related to each other This means that the number of potentially different germ to germ lines blood lines concentrated in a given individual is fewer in the inbred individual than in one not inbred Or stated positively the inbred individual pos sesses fewer different ancestors in one or more generations than the maximum number possible This means that the two factors for exact measure are the amount of ancestral reduction and the rate of this reduction Both of these demands are mct if one takes as the measure of inbreeding the exact shortage of ancestral individuals in comparison with the maximum number there might have been The prime question of inbreeding to its exact measurement is the question what degree of inbreeding was involved in the production of a particular animal It is necessary therefore to start with the individual and work backward into the ancestry rather than to start back in the ancestry and work down toward the individual And this is the fundamental difference in the method pointed out by the Maine Station An individual will have two parents and may have four different grandparents eight different great grandparents sixteen different great great grandparents and so on until in the twelfth generation there may theoretically be a total of 4096 different unrelated ancestors But if an individual is the product of a brother and sister only half that number of different ancestors is possible That is the co efficient of inbreeding would be represcnted by 50 If the brother and sister that were mated were in turn the offspring of brother and sister the co efficient of inbreeding of the individual would be 75 and if the mating of brother and sister had begun a generation earlier and been followed through the three generations the co efficient of inbreeding of the individual would be 87.5 This method of measurement of inbreeding gives rise to the practical rule that in measuring the degree of inbreeding in a pedigree it is necessary to regard all different individuals as entirely unrelated until the contrary is proved by the finding of a common ancestor While this seems a truism there are apparent paradoxes that arise in its actual application For instance the co efficient of inbreeding would usually increase somewhat in proportion to the number of generations considered For if any generation preceding the one considered a common ancestor to the father and the mother appeared the number of possible different ancestors becomes progressively decreased as the generations are followed backward Hence the co efficient of inbreeding at the fourth generation might be 37.5 and by following backward enough common ancestors might appear to materially increase the co efficient In all events the method is a_ strictly quantitative one for comparing a like number of generations From what has preceded it is seen that this co efficient would not give an exact quantitative measure of the fourth generation in one line as compared with the fifth or a larger number of another _ This measurement of the problem has to do solely with the relationship problem And of itself has nothing to do with the technical s1de_of the gamatic or_zygotic constitution of individuals It was published by the Station in detail in 1913 And elaborate tables extending up to the tenth generation by which the co efficient of inbreeding could be read off without the necessity of arithmetical calculations were also published While these books can be found in the hands of many breeders and in most libraries the editions of the publications were long since exhausted and requests for them are still frequent Chas Woods Director Maine AgI l Ex Sta 0 Dr Seulke Writes of Coming State Sale in His Home State Dr KJ Seulke reports that the preparation for the Indiana State Sale are going forward rapidly and an extremely high class lot of cattle will be offercd on October 22d At the time of the state meeting last winter a committee was appointed to inspect the cattle before accepting them for sale Two inspections were to be made one early in the spring at which time animals of a desirable conformation and of good breeding were to be chosen and the other inspection in the fall when the animals that were not properly fitted for sale or failed to come up to the expectations of the conimittee are to be weeded out The first inspection has been made and while the committee expected a high class lot of cattle to be offered they were surprised to find that the various breeders were entering their choicest animals and that the general average was far above expectations Dr Seulke predicts that this sale will be the greatest ever held in the state and that a lot of cattle will be sold that will make history for the breed in the East There arc fifty females entered and more than half will have calves at foot and be re bred while the remainder will be heifers well along in calf to noted bulls _ While the Indiana Aberdeen Angus breeders have not gone pedigree_ mad still there are as well bred cattle of the fashionable families _in the state as any breeder could desire and the cattle offered in this sale will demonstrate this fact and at the same time uphold the standard of individual excellence set by the cattle from the Hoosier state that are each year exhibited at the leading shows Such cattle as these cannot fail to win the appreciation of Aberdeen Angus breeders the country over and when the final animal is sold at Indianapolis on October 22 there will have gone down into history one of the greatest sales of the breed ever held in America __oi_ Don t forget to read carefully the anniversary number of The Aberdeen Angus Journal Page 8 July 10 1920 THE ABERDEEN AIIGTIS J9lIR1fIAl


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PostSubject: Re: Historical articles   Historical articles I_icon_minitimeSat May 26, 2012 4:59 pm

Historical articles Books?id=N9QwAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA8-PA39&img=1&zoom=3&hl=en&sig=ACfU3U1E7ZlkWHnPNAyDZyALzcCKMU95IQ&ci=6%2C10%2C987%2C1276&edge=0

The Aberdeen Angus Journal Oi i i ial Piihficaiion of ilie American Aberdeen Angus Breeders Association Entered an Second Clues matter October 25 i919 at the Pol Office at Webllar City lown under Act of March 8 1879 l lBS l l IR CITY IOWA US JUNE 25 1920 NO 23 The Use of the Family in the Breeding Herd Some Criticisms on Speculation Corners Prepotency of Line Bred Animals What's a Bull Worth Represented in International Champions Pedigrees WENTWORTH B s A fifty years ago when the family is abused breed standards had when speculation enters not advanced to their into its sphere A present high _estate corner on a given Possibly a T 1lYf 11 strain or tribe is a fine Favorite or a Tillyfour thing for both breeder Lovely was an out and breed when it is Erica Mel Ienry 6 lth Owned by Criut Bros Weaiiinzton Springs South gko VOL l The ultimate test of the family system of breeding in Aberdeen Angus cattle is the result obt ined It is justified when it enables the breeder to own and produce better cattle and it is unjustified _ _ _ _ _ when it is used as a means merely of raising prices without adding definitely to the merit of the breed Hence critics have been correct in attacking the abuse of the family but they are incorrect when they make direct attacks on the family itself as they often do in the heat of argument The family system of mating IS useful when it reduces the variability of the calves produced and increases the potency of the breeding stock It is abused when it is used as a basis for speculation or when it becomes dissociated from individual merit In the first place the oldest families are not necessarily the best Many of the best Aberdeen Angus families are founded on good cows of forty or By CAPTAIN EN country tribes that give better results than other branches American tribes did well at Turlington or in the hands of Wallace Estill why can they not do as welL today In the second place the man who holds too strictly to the families developed on the other side is using too much of the other fellow's thunder without developing any of his own It is mighty easy to be a sheep and follow in the footsteps of great predecessors using their families but as soon as a man follows too zealously a given strain giving of his own energy only sufficient to feed and sell he becomes a mere trader and sooner or later either he or his cattle lose reputation I have no objection to a breeder using some master's family as long as he maintains its standard and improves it but as soon as he fails in this particular his successes become empty and his trade his prestige and his friends ultimately are lost In the third place Families MA standing cow in the original herd and possibly she could not get in the money at a modern show The breed average has raised since McCombie did _his epochal work and without discrediting him a bit we can assume that better cows have been produced among the descendants of his bloods than he had to start with If we did not admit this we could not admit the great improvement he wrought in Doddie character The same may be said of any other great breeder of that time The very work they did has carried the breed beyond the standards they found in the cattle with which they were associated It is because of this that many believe American familiesybased on some of our own top notch cows can well be establlished It is not slavery to imitate the methods of the great Scotch breeders but it is slavery to confine ourselves to their materials with onlv a half hearted use of their methods If the Evergreens and Elbas are a little better than other Eisas and Enchantresses the breeders who discovered them made a forward step There is no reason why one cannot find among some of the families in this used to raise the average standards of the breed but it is a very hurtful thing for both breeder and breed if ultimately the corner is used simply to enhance prices To the small breeder who pays high prices for cornered cattle the game is particularly harmful as nine times out of ten he lad s the bull whose pedigree will suitably top that of the female he has bought and whose blood will nick favorably with her Enthusiasm for the best is the only way a breeder can progress but overenthusiasm for a cow or _ _ a bull that cannot be suitably mated in the herd may prove ruinous The cows the breeder buys must be worthy of his bull and the bulls he may purchase must be suitable for his cows If one is markedly inferior to the other his results are certain to be unsatisfactory In the fourth place he must never let his passion for good pedigrees and nroper bloodlines overshadow his judgment of individual merit Occasionally a well bred one meets with an accident and is t d9V lPP d in proportion to the qualities that it has inherited and that it is able to transmit but this happens so seldom that unless


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PostSubject: Re: Historical articles   Historical articles I_icon_minitimeSat May 26, 2012 5:01 pm

Historical articles Books?id=N9QwAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA8-PA40&img=1&zoom=3&hl=en&sig=ACfU3U0t5FpsFb5JrIFM6ZiIiIpgQpAPLA&ci=3%2C7%2C988%2C1277&edge=0

less the breeder is thoroughly familiar with the circumstances of the young animal's development it will not pay him to take a chance On the average the man who possesses a top bred one will give it all the opportunity he can to develop its best traits and if it fails to develop them it most probably lacks the ability The converse is by no means true The best type of cattle do not always produce the best type of cattle because they sometimes carry undesirable traits like red color hidden under their promising exterior It is known however that good cattle with good pedigrees are quite likely to transmit the traits they show hence one can be a successful breeder only when he emphasizes individual merit along with pedigree and pedigree along with individual merit If the very choicest Evergreen came to me with a hide as hard as a board and white splashed all along the underline I should not bid on her but if the very best type that I ever had seen should appear in the sale ring and I should find by consulting my catalogue t at she was an Evergreen I would pay far more than I would ordinarily because I would believe her to be quite certain of transmitting her good points especially if her sire was an Evergreen too This brings up the question as to how family matings should be carried out in order to assure the greatest potency Assuming that the merit of the individual is always the same the bull or cow having the greatest number of lines of the family in its pedigree should be most prepotent The following pedigree represents this in an ideal way practical reasons usually prevent its realization Blackbird Blmckup Ballindal h Blackcap Bllckcnp Blackcap K Pride Blackcap iB l k P l Pride 1 Blackcap Mu ben LB nckcaP mad JB_llatckclp up 1 Blackcap Blackcap I JBlM k 8D Enchantress I l Blackcap Blgekgggp I Blackcap Drurmn Lucy Blll kl P i Blgekcgp l Blackcap Eisa kBlackca Blackcap Blflfkflil _ Enchantress Blackcap The reader must understand that the above pedigree does not represent the writer's advice as to the best blood but it is used to illustrate a method of breeding Beginning with the fourth generation each of the female lines is of one family in this case the Blackcaps Any other family can be substituted as well as would any other top crosses in the fourth generation This pedigree could be strongly line bred without bein hi hly inbred by using different lines of descent for each of the lac caps in the fourth generation Of course any breeder using this method would have to watch his animals carefully to see that the degree of inbreeding which did exist did not permit the good characters to be lost and the bad characters to be concentrated This would be a selection based on type and the breeder who successfully weathered such a course of narrowing bloodlines would probably have a more potent bull than the Aberdeen Angus breed has yet known Unless rigorous selection is practiced however the breeder attempting such a concentration would be foredoomed to failure The majority of breeders will probably prefer to go no farther than is indicated in the following pedigree where instead of eight lines of the desired family only four lines are shown Mulben Mny Jill Enclmnlreu flower Mulben Mayflower Llinchantmss Lgdy Ida i Enchantress g g h log Pri e u i Miss Burgess bgn L Enchantress Miss Burgess 4 l Blackbird lirirhantrtls Li zmlunmu Blue Ribbon Enchnntnm Erica ChiefQueen Mother gain fEl l ll l 6 Queen Motor l En luntreas 4 Enclnntresu Elm Enchantress l _ Blackcap 1Coquetie lunchantrvus Blackgnp L_ Meg o the lanclnnlrels Glen Enchantress Assuming that no other cow than Enchantress has a given desired character in the fourth generation the chances are 7 out of 16 that that character will appear in the cow shown in the above pedigree and one out of 16 that she will be pure for this character In a_ctual_ breeding the chances are much greater because a good family simply represents a combination of good characters some of which may come from other sources It is more important to have one line each of Enchantress blood in the sire's and dam's pedigree than to have the two in the same pedigree since it increases the chances of the animal's having the character Hence breeders can afford to pay more for a bull or cow of the Pride family let us say if the sire in the pedigree has a Pride line as well as the dam than if the dam has two Pride lines and the sire none This may be illustrated as follows Lady Ida fiuetltde Y ll Pride ll 3 ll cll rcap Eisa Enchantress Pride Pride pride Enchantress Pride Nosegay Pride This pedigree is more certain to produce offspring with typical Pride characters than one like the following Lady Ida Eisa Enchant rcss Blackcap F Enchantress Pride L Pride Lady Ida Enchantress 1 Coquette Pride The chances of this second pedigree transmittin the Pride traits to the offspring are only half as great as in te previous pedigree although the animals included in each are the same The difference in potency of the two animals resulting from these pedigrees is due entirely to the position of the ancestors in the pedigrce and not to any difference in potency among them In general if one line of ancestry in the dam is paralleled by a similar line of ancestry in the sire the potency will be greater because each parent will have the opportunity of transmitting the desired blood It is because those who have been most successful with families have used the family system of mating as a system of linebreeding that it has been successful while those who have used outcross bulls have seldom been successful for more than a single generation into other hands frequently no longer partake of the characters which have made them notable Unless animals bred in family lines are mated with animals of similar lines they are certain to lose the family character On the other hand this truism can never be used to countenance mating inferior bulls of the same faimily to first class cows when superior hulls of another family are available Critics of the family system of breeding have asserted that the determining factor in a breeder's success is the bull This statement is doubtless true but if the full story is told it will be found with each master of breeding that the cows have played just as important a role as the bull Evcn if the breeder did not credit any of his success to his cows half of it at least was due there for the modem knowledge of breeding shows to obtain such a success as Mr Kerr has enjoyed in his Juana Ericas the good traits must be transmitted from sire and dam as well It is so much easier to remember a new good bulls that have sired twenty good calves apiece than the twenty dams that were their mothers that it is far easier to credit the bull than the faithful females that have done as much to produce them The grcat difficulty in breeding from families is that fashion will creep in This dfficulty will be found to exist whether the family system is used or not as bulls blood will be idolized as much as females if the family system is not used The advantage of fashion is that it changes and undesirable blood of today becomes the desirable blood of the morrow If pedigrees of sires and dams winning the progeny classes at the International are examined it will be found that many of the families popular twenty years a 0 are now supplanted with others This is as it should be in case it eepe pace with the evolution of merit in the breed and the ideal of every breeder should be broadened to include all rising families and not to exclude the old demonstrated ones that have made history This brings up once more the question of the relative value of the bull and the cow The beginner at the sales is often puzzled as to just what he should do in establishing his herd especially in the prices that he finds himself forced to pay for females of the bloodlines that he wants His rule should be simple Never pay as much for cows as for bulls until your reputation and experience are such that you are certain to get commensurate prices from the animals you yourself can breed from them A contemporary breed paper recently had an article by one of the best known of its breeders in which he very cleverly explained how a bull should be valued In brief he said that the man producing $500 bulls could get them in two ways by breeding $500 cows to a $500 bull or by breeding $250 cows to a $1,000 bull The latter method is certainly cheaper and bound to bring the biggest results It is only when a man expects to breed $10,000 bulls that he even can think of $5,000 cows and even then he must not think too often that he can afford them Continued on page 14 This is the reason why families when they have gone Page 4 June 25 1920 THE ABERDEEN ANGUS JOURNAL
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Kent Powell




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PostSubject: Re: Historical articles   Historical articles I_icon_minitimeSat May 26, 2012 5:14 pm

Historical articles Books?id=N9QwAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA6-PA53&img=1&zoom=3&hl=en&sig=ACfU3U1QZK-Qx_gzg4p2DcbYs9Ghj5BMEQ&ci=10%2C28%2C326%2C1263&edge=0

(page 14 was missing)

The Use of the Family in the Breeding Herd Continued from page 14 females not being presented here shows that the conditions are reversed in that there are only 35 families in the champions while there are 58 families represented in the winners of the produce of dam classes Furthermore in the former the percentage of Blackb rds Prides and Ericas is 46 2 while in the latter the percentage is only 43.3 Probably the only fact shown here is the bulls come from fewer family sources than the cows in pedigree as well as individuality as a result of the fact that the family is founded on the female Since some critics of the family system of mating state that the bull is better bred than the cows I have tabulated the families of the sires of the winners of the getof sire class as well as the dams treating the winners of the produce of dam classes in the same way In the get of sire winners there are ten families each represented in the sires and in the dams Ericas Prides and Blackbirds are represented in 40 per cent of the sires and in 70 per cent of the dams among the get of sire winners Among the winners of the produce of dam classes fifteen families each are found in the sires and the dams of the winners Of these Ericas Prides and Blackbirds are represented in 53 per cent of the sires and in nearly 47 per cent of the dams From the foregoing comparisons one cannot say the sires are better bred than the dams A second way of studying the question would be to tabulate the families represented at the head of sire line of each dam and sire of these winners The method is illustrated as follows J Queen Mother This tabulation shows that 40 per cent of the upper sire lines of the winners of the get of sire classes are of these three most frequently found families while 40 per ccnt of those in the lower sire lines are also of these bloods On the other hand in the uroduce of dam classes 33 per cent are found in the upper line and 40 per cent in the lower Comparing these figures with those of the preceding paragraph perhaps one might be justified in drawing the conclusion that the dams in general are slightly better bred than the sires To justify this idea still further if the family of each sire in the sire line be recorded and tl e family of the dams in the dam line it will be found the 41 of the first belong to the three families mentioned if get of sire and produce of dam classes are combined while 56 per cent of the families Of the dams are included in these three Just what interpretation to place on this is difficult to say Opponents of the family theory will use this material to show that family fashions have made Aberdeen Angus breeders neglect their bulls while others who favor the family method can rightfully point out that this high standard of breeding among the females could not exist without the family method of selection Readers may take their choice but to the writer this condition indicates that Doddie breeders can profitably study their bull situation without in the slightest degree relentmg in their selection of females Unless further questions arise this article closes this series of discussions of the family situation I have tried to be fair to both sides of the question although I canMAYBROOK June 25 1920
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PostSubject: Re: Historical articles   Historical articles I_icon_minitimeSat May 26, 2012 5:14 pm

Historical articles Books?id=N9QwAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA6-PA53&img=1&zoom=3&hl=en&sig=ACfU3U1QZK-Qx_gzg4p2DcbYs9Ghj5BMEQ&ci=347%2C1055%2C296%2C120&edge=0

not disguise the fact that I am heartily in favor of the family method of breeding when it is not abused In this article some of the more common abuses have been indicated and it is my belief that a clean cut consideration of the question by both big breeders and little breeders will certainly clarify the situation
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PostSubject: Re: Historical articles   Historical articles I_icon_minitimeSat May 26, 2012 5:22 pm

Historical articles Books?id=N9QwAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA3-PA85&img=1&zoom=3&hl=en&sig=ACfU3U0IshO5nKZV_nHtBOqnVAG9IZZREw&ci=7%2C18%2C982%2C1276&edge=0

The Aberdeen Angus Journal Dfficial Publication of the American Aberdeen Angus Breeders Association Entered as Second Class matter October 26 1919 at the Post Office at Webster City Iowa under Act of March 3 1879 WEBSTER CITY IOWA USA JULY 25 1920 A History of the Famous Ballindalloch Herd How the Graet Scotch Breeder Founded and Carried on His Collection of Cattle That Have Made the Greatest Impression on the Breed in Modern Times 1861 to I891 By C Macpherson Grant in a Pamphlet Prepared and Published in 1891 Prince lncn lst Axed Bull 1892 Highland Show VOL I NO 24 Sir John Macpherson Grant father of the present Baronet Sir George MacphersonGrant died in 1850 but it was not until 1861 that Sir George married and came to reside at Ballindalloch and it was at that date naturally that his chief interest in and supervision of his herd commenced He had previously as had his father before him taken no small charge of agricultural matters generally and of Aberdeen Angus cattle particularly and in 1861 he laid what may be called the foundation stone of his fame by the purchase from Lord Southesk of Erica 843 The first volume of the Herd Book was published by Mr Ravenscroft in 1862 and we find in that volume entries by Sir George of the following females Ballindalloch Crinoline 628 Charlotte of Ballindalloch 15_1 Dandy 794 Erica 843 Iris 844 Kitty 130 Miss Fortescue 538 Petticoat 629 and Young Mary 527 _I he entries of bulls were five of which we need notice only Chieftain 318 and Craigo 260 Of the females the first cow we are concerned with here was Dandy 794 W110 mate with Craigo 260 bewme the mother of Coquette 1417 the ancestress of _a very valued family both in this country and in America Erica 843 and her descendants will be fully treated of in a subsequent portion of this narrative Iris 844 a purchase at the Kinnaird Sale in 1861 unfortunately died in calving without leaving issue _All that we can trace of Kitty 130 is that she was dam of Petticoat 629 and of this latter cow we have no further trace Miss Fortescue 528 has now no representatives in the herd but on the other hand Young Mary 527 whose dam was Grannie 131 entered in the Herd Book as bred by Mr Grant Carnousie became the progenitrix of one of the best and most productive families at Ballindalloch now known as the Ltdy Fanny The bull Craigo 260 is entered in the Herd Book as calved in 1854 bred by the late Captain Carnegy of Craigo Sire bred by the Trustees of the late R Scott Balwyllo dam bred by Hugh Watson Keillor He was purchased by Sir George at the Craigo sale in 1856 and was used until 1860 Before leaving Craigo he begat Mayflower of Montbletton 614 one of the most famous cows in the history of the breed At Ballindalloch he was the sire of Nettle unentered dam of Nosegay 2155 and of Coquette 1417 whose families still have an honored name Miss Burgess 1198 having been calved in 1861 might have been entered in Volume I but was for some reason omitted and appears in Volume II She also has handed down in the herd a long and meritorious list of descendants Chieftain 318 we need only allude to as being the sire of Erica 2d 1284 grandam of Young Viscount 736 This then shortly would appear to be the nucleus from which Sir George has succeeded in rearing up for himself a herd second to none a herd which has gained for its home the highly complimentary name of The Warlaby of Aberdeen Angus cattle and a herd which has handsomely paid its way through good and bad report Disappointments there have been of course not a few but they have been compensated in great measure of triumphs and the result of Sir George's exertions have been warmly recognized and admitted by all who have the true interests of cattle breeding at _ heart As is generally known Volume II of the Herd Book did not see the light until 1872 when it_ was published under the auspices of the late Mr Adamson and of Mr Alexander Ramsay the present Editor co jointly In this volume and in that of number III published by Mr Ramsay in 1875 we find no fewer than fifty two entries made by Sir George of which thirtytwo were of females and twenty were of bulls Sir George would appear to have in the thirteen years between the publication of the first and third volumes added several new families to his herd by purchase notably by the purchase of Jilt 973 from Mr M Combie in 1867 and Kindness at Drumin in 1873 These families Jilt and Pride are still to be found at Ballindalloch Among other purchases appear to have been Levity 1204 Nightingale 262 Nymph 972 and Sybil 974 Of these four last mentioned only the last has now any representative in the herd and
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PostSubject: Re: Historical articles   Historical articles I_icon_minitimeSat May 26, 2012 5:23 pm

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saw the light It is not occasions first prize surprising therefore bull at_National shows that pedigrees were not and his local honors much considered and it were innumerable BeOne llnp Evitwowned by WA Holt Savannah Missouri the family was re acquired by the purchase of Fuschia of Glencorrie 12791 only a fe v years ago It was in 1876 at the dispersion sale of the late Mr Paterson Mulben that Sir George made one of his important selections in the magnificent cow Pride of Mulben 1919 who was a granddaughter of the famous Pride of Aberdeen 581 Sir George had to leave 91 guineas for this cow an unexampled price in those days but his good judgment has been confirmed and this branch of this distinguished family is now fairly established in the favour of breeders This purchase may be fairly classed with that of Erica and J ilt as one of transcendant importance During the last sixteen years representatives of various families have appeared in the Ballindalloch herd but only a few have come to stay Among the latter are the Ruths own cousins to the Jilts Ruth and Jilt having been full sisters from Beauty of Tillyfour 2d 1180 by Black Prince of Tillyfour 366 This family was acquired from Mr Anderson Wellhouse Rose 3d 925 was bought at the dispersion sale of the late Mr Brown Westertown in 1874 and descendants of hers are highly valued The Mayflowers of Montbletton or as they are perhaps better known the Lady Idas or Blackbirds of Corskie are also highly thought of at Ballindalloch Blackbird of Corskie 3d 3766 was bought at Mr Hannay's sale at Gavenwood in September 1878 In 1861 the date at which we begin this narrative the farm at Ballindalloch and the herd were under the management of the late Mr Jas M Kay an excellent judge of stock and a servant most highly esteemed by his employer James M Kay came to Ballindalloch in 1835 and was manager for the long period of 41 years In 1861 the Herd Book although talked of had no actual existence and as we have_seeu after the publication of the first volume in 1862 a whole decade passed before another volume Black Prince of Tillyfour 366 out of Charlotte 203 he was uterine brother of the wonderful Pride of Aberdeen 581 An analysis of his pedigree shows that he had more of the Queen and Panmure blood than even his famous half sister and shows no fewer than twelve terminations in Pa_iimure 51 Trojan will ever be remembered at Ballindalloch as the sire of Eisa 977 and Enchantress 981 but of these we shall have something to write later on Kildonan 405 was calved at Ballindalloch but Mr M Combie was the mating breeder It will be observed that having been sired by Black Prince of Tillyfour 366 he was half brother to Trojan His dam Keepsake 427 by the grand President 205 was a well known cow in her day She was bred at Balwyllo in 1851 and in 1859 passed into the possession of Lord Southesk by whom she was sold at his sale in 1861 to Mr Collie for 59 guineas From Ardgay she went to Tillyfour and from there to Ballindalloch Kildonan's claim to the notice of posterity rests on the fact of his being the sire of Ella 1205 the fourth and last daughter of Erica 843 Victor of Ballindalloch 403 was bred at Montbletton and descended from Balwyllo stock He sired among other cows Eva 984 ahfrequent National winner and he was himself successful at local s ows Exciseman 473 was bred by Sir George and here is the first instance we can find of his using a bull of which he was the mating breeder This bull was by Victor 403 out of Erica 843 and was the sire of one of the best Jilts ever bred Je vess 19l6 a cow of immense substance Juryman 404 was calved at Ballindalloch but Mr M Combie of Tillyfour had the credit of having mated his parents He was got by Bright 454 uterine brother of the famous Zara 1228_ by Black Prince of Tillyfour 366 and out of Jilt 973 a daughter of the _Keillor cow Beauty of Tillyfour 2d 1180 He was on two is well remembered that many an excellent heifer at Ballindalloch was sent to the butcher if she did not when tw_o years old at once fulfil her destiny by proving herself in calf Inbreeding was then more in vogue than linebreeding in point of fact it was impossible to pursue the latter method for lack of sufficient knowledge The former drastic operation was habitually adopted by the two great improvers of the breed Watson Keillor and M Combie Tillyfour At the same time the utmost care nvas ever taken by Sir George to buy the best bulls he could lay his hands on and the knowledge and good judgment of his manager were here invaluable We think that this will be an appropriate place to note the bulls used in the herd since 1861 and we shall subsequently have something to say in relation to Sir George's system of breeding after M Kay's retirement and when the progress of the Herd Book made it possible to secure consistency in method We shall not attempt to give the names of every bull who may have sired a calf or two in the herd but we propose to notice all those who may in any sense have been held to be Sultans of the Seraglio Craigo 260 we have already written of in our remarks on Volume I of the herd book King Charles 236 was bred by the Earl of Southesk He was sired by Druid 225 a son of Cupbearer 59 and was out of Kathleen of Kinnaird 339 both sire and dam having been National Society prize winners King Charles after being used at Westertown came to Ballindalloch He won many prizes at local shows and was a bull of large size and good style At Ballindalloch he was the first sire registered in the Miss Burgess and Lady Fanny families but his name appears also in the family trees of the Coquettes and Nosegays Trojan 402 was next selected He was purchased from Mr M Combie of Tillyfour in 1864 subsequently to his having been first prize winner at the Newcastle Royal second at Aberdeen and third at the Highland at Stirling It must be observed that being by ing of a masculine character particularly good in the shoulder and hind quarter he was successful as a sire perhaps his best daughters being Echo 2976 and Siren 1915 It was however when put to Erica 843 that he begot Elcho 595 one of the most famous sires of the generation Scotsman 474 was also used about this date He was bred at Tillyfour and of similar breeding to Bright 454 the sire of Juryman 404 just above mentioned His dam Zara 1228 has handed down her name to a select family Sir George cannot be congratulated on _the acquisition of this bull Although frequently successful in Highland Society showyards Scotsman had scurs and it is feared that the Judges of those days were more lenient in this matter than it is to be hoped future judges ever will be again At the same time the writer cannot recall to mind that Scotsman produced scurs in the herd unless to the fact of his first impregnation of Eva 984 a subsequent son of hers Etonian 1658 also a famous bull and successful breeder developed one scur Scotsman was sire of Judge 1150 to be alluded to presently To emphasize Sir George's dislike of scurs we may add that there is no animal in the herd now which has Scotsrnan's name in its pedigree Elchies 563 by Juryman 404 out of Eisa 977 was bred by Sir George and was an example of the fact that like does not always produce like His sire and dam were both National Society's first prize winners but he was never near it himself However he did much good in the herd begot Maid of Aven 2995 first prize cow at Stirling in 1881 and was the first bull to call attention to the potency of Erica blood Elcho 595 followed Bred at Ballindalloch he was sired by Jurvman 404 and out of Erica 843 He was sold young to Mr Grant Advie and subsequently re purchased He may certainly be placed in the list of the most successful sires of his time or of any time He was perhaps most fortunate in his female descendants but he will always be remembered as the sire of Justice 1462 a showyard buil of the very highest charac Continued on page 18 Page 4 7 _ Z JE 25 1929 i ABERDEEN ANGUS JOURNAL
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A History of the Famous Ballindalloch Herd Continued from page 4 ter Elcho subsequently passed into the possession of the Earl of Airlie and the Earl of Strathmore but returned to Ballindalloch where he died Ballimore 741 was bred at Westertown and by Duke of Perth 357 a Highland Society's first prize bull He did no particular good but his daughters subsequently bred well and he was directly responsible for Juno 3374 third prize cow at the H & A Society's show at Glasgow in 1882 At Edinburgh in 1877 Ballimore was commended in a strong class of aged bulls Judge 1150 was bred by Sir George out of Iilt 973 by Scotsman 474 and thus was half brother of the famous Juryman 404 Among many other showyard honors he was first prize aged bull at the International Exhibition at Paris in 1878 Probably his best produce was Eugenie 4170 an exceptionally good breeding cow and Equity 4671 He was exported to America Editor 1460 a son of the last mentioned bull out of Edith 2973 by Juryman 404 thus being closely bred to the Jilts was used to some extent before being sold to Mr Stratchan Montcoffer his best daughter having been Essica 4179 He was commended at the H & A Society's show at Dumfries in 1878 HC in 1879 won a third prize in 1882 and second prize in 1883 Young Viscount 736 This very famous bull was calved in April 1873 and was bred by Mr Duff Hillockhead who had purchased his dam Erica 3d 1249 at Ballindalloch Young Viscount was sired by Hampton 492 a Castle Fraser bull with Easter Skene blood Bought by the Earl of Fife from the breeder Young Viscount afterwards became the property of Mr Hannay Gavenwood by whom he was sold at his public sale in 1876 to Sir George for 225 guineas then the hiohe t price ever paid for an animal of the breed Viscount's showyard honors were very numerous among others three times first at National Shows Champion prize of 25 at the Roval at Kilburn in 1879 and the M Combie Cup at Aberdeen in 1878 and he never failed to secure the highest award but it was in his powers as a breeding bull that his great merit was seen It is probably no examreration to sav that his powers in this resnect have never been excelled even if thev have been equalled and the Bailindalloch herd undoubtedly owes much of its credit and popularity to that day in 1878 when Sir George's good judgment induced him to outstay the late Earl of Airlie and secure the bull for his herd Young Viscount left all his daughters as if cut out of one mould His descendants of exceptional merit were very numerous too numerous to particularize here but some females of his loins are still in the Ballindalloch byres and will answer for him such as Edelweiss 5605 Elba 7045 Edvisca 9924 and Jocosa 5610 Petrarch 1258 came to Ballindalloch in the belly of his mother Pride of Mulben 1919 for whom Sir George paid 91 guineas at the Mulben dispersion sale He was a bull of great substance and gained the second prize and silver medal at Paris in 1878 Probably his best daughter was Electra 4186 a Highland Societ s show cow Justice 1462 was bred at Ballindalloch He was sired by Elcho 595 and out of Jilt 973 who had already produced the admirable bulls Juryman 404 and Judge 1150 It will be observed that Justice was sired by Elcho 595 who was got bv Juryman uterine brother of Justice who was a show bull of_ the highest excellence having been three i lme
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first at National shows and Champion bull at the Centenary show at Edinburgh in 1884 besides having won the M Combie Cup but he did not prove so successful as a breeder as might have been expected His best daughter was undoubtedly Evergreen 9929 who went to Minmore at the Ballindalloch sale in 1890 and at Colonel Smith's sale in 1891 was bought by Mr Grant Auchorachan for 310 guineas her heifer calf by Iliad 2843 at the same time fetching 80 guineas from Miss Morison Duncan Justice was sold to gdr Goodwin who took him to the United tates Julius 1819 a son of Young Viscount 736 dam Jewess 1916 by Exciseman 473 was in service for a short time He left no particular mark in the herd and was early parted with He was very hi l1lv commended at the Glasgow show in 1882 Sir Evelyn 2340 was also used sparingly In 1879 Sir George sent to the somewhat famous Sir Maurice 1319 stock bull at Rothiemav four Erica females for service and Sir Evelyn was the result of the union with Eila 3794 a very highly bred Erica cow by Elcho 595 Among other premiums won Sir Evelyn took second prize at the National show at Glasgow in 1882 His greatest success at Ballindalloch was unouestionably the cow Elegy 7046 who has been a first prize cow at Hivhland shows Iliad 2843 Bred by Mr Argo Cairdseat in 1882 this bull won the first prize at the H and A Society's show at Inverness in 1883 and was subsequently purchased by Sir George Being by Etonian 1658 a son of Eva 984 and Elcho 595 he is a clean bred Erica on the sire's side and yet through his dam Inky 4381 he introduced a very large strain of alien blood Inky was by MP 12150 descended on both sides from Queen Mother 348 Sir George having regard to his breeding and also individual merit secured him and has had no reason to regret his decision He is still in the herd in active service and next to Young Viscount has probably done more yeoman service than any other bull He may be a little narrow on the top of his shoulders but he has magnificent quarters a quality he never fails to transmit His best known son is the Dalmore stock bull Esquire 5346 but he has placed to his credit a large number of excellent cattle among others Prince Inca 7844 second prize two year old bull at the late Stirling show and now one of the stock bulls at home Iliad when in Sir Georze's possession took first premium as a two year old at the Centenary show at Edinburg in 1874 and second prize the following year at Dumfries since when he has not been exhibited Provost 1259 Calved in March 1878 and bred at Ballindalloch this bull went to the Earl of Airlie as a yearling He and Justice 1462 were the two best calves of the year He suffered shortly afterwards from swollen testicles a complaint which prevented him beinir a great prize winner but did not as the Herd Book will testify prevent him being an excellent getter of stock Being out of Pride of Mulben 1919 by Elcho 595 it is not to be wondered at that Sir George in pursuance of his system of breeding which he had now for some years carried out with much success had kept his eye upon Provost and as soon as opportunity offered bought him back Unfortunately he did not very long survive his return but he confirmed his breeder's judgment in begetting Euraya 13708 Joanna 13709 and the twins Lady Fluff 13711 and Lady Fly 13712 He was also the sire of Elocutionist 7493 one of the stock bulls lately in the herd Erroll 2723 was also bred at home A son of Young Viscount 736 he was out of Eila July 25 1920
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_ _ _ _ E _ 5 3794 dam of Sir Evelyn 2340 previously mentioned He did excellent service at home for some years being sire of such cows as Eloquence 11207 Eleusa 11428 now at Dalmore Lady Flush 12438 and others He was hired for one season to Colonel Ferguson of Pitfour where he abundantly demonstrated what an Erica can do in a strange herd and was eventually sold to Mr Anderson late of Wellhouse who frequently spoke to the writer of his satisfaction with him Royal George 4992 was bought from Mr Anderson Wellhouse as a yearling in 1886 He was the only example of an entire outcross always excepting his connection with the Jilt family having been purchased for a number of years Descended on the dam's side from Beauty of Tillyfour 2d 1180 who was the maternal ancestress also of the J ilts and bred at Keillor as was also another Beauty some even believe the same the foundation cow of the Ericas Sir George bought Royal George with deliberate purpose He was a bull of great size substance and good form but lacked somewhat of quality His acquisition has been somewhat of a disappointment but as might well have been expected he has knicked with some cows and in the herd now are Equation 15047 Equivocation 16489 Nosegay 19th 16503 and Rose of the Vicarage 16508 all of which do him credit Plutarch 5632 Another son of old Pride of Mulben 1919 and unfortunately her last calf by Iliad 2843 Calved in 1886 and bred by Sir George he was VHC at the Glasgow show in 1888 and was second to his halfbrother Esquire 5346 the following year at Melrose He gave every promise of being a grand stock bull as is evidenced by his being the sire of Epsom 7507 quite the Champion bull of 1891 and the property of Mr Egginton South Ella but he unfortunately died young Elocutionist 7493 was retained at home on account of his breeding and his own good looks His head and neck are perfection itself His young things are very promising Vesuvius 7257 by Esquire 5346 out of Veronica 2d of Glamis 10662 was a purchase at the Inverness sale in 1889 from Dalmore He has not been exhibited His calves are likely ones and it will be observed that he introduces into the herd for the first time in male line that Mayflower blood which had its first registered foundation from the Ballindalloch stock bull thirty years ago Craigo 260 Prince Inca 7844 Very similarly bred to Plutarch 5632 noticed above but with a J iltErica cross intervening through Justice 1462 This is quite a showyard bull and his calves of 1891 are particularly satisfactory He was placed second to Epsom 7507 another Ballindalloch bred bull at the late Highland show at Stirling Zenophon 8028 is another bull bred by Mr Mackenzie and got by Esquire 5346 The only other bull ever used in the herd of the same breeding on the dam's side was Scotsman 474 see above Zenophon is full of Erica blood through his sire and grandsire Grandholm 1647 Partisan 8641 This bull is a recent purchase from Mr Wallis Bradley Hall Got by Mosstrooper 2256 by Ethelred 1440 by Judge 1150 and out of the Pride cow Pride Lovely 11929 by Englishman 2076 a son of Young Viscount 736 her dam Pride Lanvuish 5681 bv Young Hero 1837 another son of Young Viscount 736 Partisan is exceedingly choicely bred and has been put to a few heifers This then is as succinct an account as possible of the principal stock bulls used at Ballindalloch during the last thirty years If l
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have any readers left bv this time they will no doubt take note that with but few exceptions these bulls have gone through the fiery ordeal of exhibition at National shawls Wltllli on the whole gratifying success ey wi ls le se observe that the very lar e prozoritiiin bf them have been bred at hgme _or that on side of either sire or dam they claim relationship to the mother herd To resume our narrative of the rnanage ment of the herd On account of declining the late Mr M Kay retired on a pen sion and Mr John Stewart succeeded to the iéesponsibledngsitionhof sole manager l r tewart ha or as ort time previous y i rected the operations of improvement on the farm of Tomore which is one of the home farms and had had charge there of a portion $1 gm hey He thus h 1 1bh n to a qua GIS SOIT18 GXP GTICG O er GED gmig as wen as 3 keenfintgfest in e er an an anxious esire or is em pl0yel_ S interest we believe that the last purchase Of 3 bull transacted by James MYK_ay was that of Ballimore 741 and since then it will be observed that every bull used has been eitherlbifizd at l 110X ll L 1l Cl l I1fl Cl Gd by parentage wit te her s as been no accidental facthbut part of adpoliicy in l1J regdI ing careful yt ought out an a opted y ir George and his manager In 1884 Mr John Stewart retired to take possession of his own farm Auchindellan in Clatt Aberdeen shire where in 1888 he died to the very great regret of all who knew him He was succeeded by his brother Mr William Stewart who is still in office and carries out successfully 1t1l Hi 1r i21 icat ge1 of breeding which his brother hwhlat this practicedhas bee the_liieader W 0 as acwmpanle us so ar W1 now pretty well understand It is simply ex pressed to avoid in breeding but also to avoid any absolute out cross Breeding in line so far as possible has been adopted although this has not been confined to the various families but is applicable to the herd as a whole At the same time individual merit has always been considered and the long record of prizes won by the bulls used in the herd will be conclusive on this point Now I am going to make a few claims for the herd and anyone who objects to laudatory remarks can easily skip this paragraph We claim for the Ballindalloch herd a remarkable family resemblance among the females bred therein with perhaps the one exception of the Jilt family whose prepotency towards a certain type seems almost ungovernable We claim that the cows are as large as those in any other herd where the quality is of equal merit and that though they are on short legs they produce to the butcher as much meat as those of any other herd we claim that they are as healthy and breed as regularly as any other cows even the cross cows of the neighboring farmers and above all we claim for the young bulls sent annually from Ballindalloch a prepotency and a power to reproduce the merits of their ancestry that certainly cannot be excelled elsewhere Does it not Stand to reg son that it must be so If there is any thing in the saying that like begets like surely the intensity of blood which has been handed down at Ballindalloch for many generations from prize winning families must reproduce itself when brought into contact with other herds That it is so with Ballindalloch bred sires it is impossible to dispute Itf is only necessarly to t3 UI1 the CCO l1I1l3 o any importants ow an ana zet e rize list to find that it is so We Knee inpthis connection from Messrs Macdonald and Sinclair's work On Polled Cattle p 66 The influence which the Ballindalloch herd has iu1y_zs _1920
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exercised in the improvement of other stocks r 0 1ld hardly be overestimated Sir George has been Bpeciall Sllccesgflll in the rearing of bulls and these have been eagerly sought after b breeders throughout the country in whose_herds thev have given undeniable tes timony of their choice breeding In a word the fame of the Ballindalloch herd is equally great in the breeding paddock the showyard and the sale ring and this is probably the highest tribute that could be bestowed on any herd To be continued
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The Aberdeen Angus Journal Oflicial Publication of the American Aberdeen Angus Breeders Association WEBSTER CITY IOWA USA AUGUST 25 1919 THE F OUNDING AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE ABERDEEN ANGUS BREED By James R Barclay Secretary Aberdeen Angus Cattle Society Scotland in The Aberdeen Angus Review VOL I NO 2 t is only but fitting that in the opening article of the first issue of the Aberdeen Angus Review there should be given some indication of the steps which were taken to establish improve and develop the Breed Of necessity the notes here given must be brief but happily there exists an excellent Breed History published by Messrs Vinton & Co London in which the illustrious story of Aberdeen Angus cattle is traced from the time it emerged from the narrow confines of the north eastern corner of Scotland until breaking down all barriers of distance and climate it established for itself a permanent abode in every cattle raising country of the globe It is a history of steady progress following upon brilliant achievement No breed of cattle we make bold to say has spread so rapidly to new homes as has the Aberdeen Angus considering the comparatively short period that has elapsed since its existance as an improved race took commencement Every changing condition to which it has been subjected has confirmed the Breed in its new homes and has opened up new avenues for further development and this progress has been built upon the solid foundation which has been supplied as the results of the application of these practical tests to which beef breeds have in common been subjected It is not a very profitable task to seek to ascertain definitely what Aberdeen Angus originate from a statement which applies with equal force to all races of domestic cattle The breeding of cattle is an industry which has been going on for thousands of years while the classification of breeds is by comparison a thing of yesterday Thus as it is impossible to trace with any degree of certainty from which of the two great groups of the genus Bosthe humped cattle and the straight cattle domestic cattle took their origin so it is equally impossible to state in definite terms the immediate progenitors of Aberdeen Angus cattle Whether they are the product of the large Bos urus with its long horns or of the Bos longifrons the smaller and shorter horned race of cattle which it is known supplied the food of the Roman legions during the invasion of Great Britian or of both combined whether they are descended from the same source as the ancient cattle of the Scythians which the Grecian historian Herodotus describes as having been hornless or whether they are reversions to the ancestral form which some scientists consider to have been hornless these are questions which have defied unravelling by the most eminent naturalists one and all of whom have had to confess that at best their conclusions are little more than conjectures Of this at least there can be no doubt that a race of homless cattle was known to h ancient Egyptians as their sculptures and paintings show and that homless races of cattle can be traced to a very early date in several countries From such speculative suggestions one turns however to definitely ascertained facts in regard to Aberdeen Angus cattle and at the outset it has to be noted that the se_lf colour of black is an indication of the antiquity of the race This also has to b_e stated that the breed is indigenous to the districts in which it_is_found and that the earliest whiters on Scottish agriculture who distinguish between the varieties of stock note the presence of a hornless race of cattle Many authorities give the date 1752 as that upon which mention is first made so far as can be found of the ancestors of the present day Aberdeen Angus cattle In an old account book which belonged to Mr GB Simpson Broughty Ferrv Forfar Scotland mention is made of transactions as early as the year mentioned in humble oxen and dodded heifers There is little doubt that black polled cattle were then and had been for some time the principal breed of cattle cultivated in the ancient territory of Angus now mainly comprized in the county of Forfar There is little doubt too but that even at that early date this was the chief variety of cattle to be found in the counties of Kincardine Aberdeen Ba_nff and Moray ln each of these counties there is abundant evidence to sh_ow that a race of black hornless cattle had existed time out of mind To take for instance the county of Aberdeen with which the breed is so closely associated it is found that black hornless cattle were specifically referred to in a leagal document bearing the date of 1523 Printed Evidence in 1797 The _first printed evidence in regard to polled cattle in Angus appears in the Statistical Account for the parish of Bendochy published in 1797 where the writer states that many of the cattle are dodded wanting horns Hence the familiar designation of Angus Doddies It is impossible to say when a species of black polled cattle was not kept at such places as Kinnaird Cortachy A dbar The Burn and other places which in later years became so closely associated with the Aberdeen Angus breed In other of its present day head quarters traces are found of the early existence of the breed A name closely indentified with the early history of the breed was that of the late Mr George Williamson St John's Well Fyvie Aberdeenshire who died in 1823 aged 75 years and who supplied both the Tillyfour and the Ballindalloch herds with cattle in the early days of the history of these herds Then there is the herd of Mr Walker Portlethen on the border between Kincardine and Aberdeen Its age it is impossible to state but the name of Mr Robert Walker the grandfather of the present owner of the herd occupies a distinguished place among the earliest systematic breeders for as early as 1786 he kept a private herd register This accounts for the fact that when the first volume of the Herd Book came to be published no fewer than h rty bulls and a hundred and seven cows appear under Mr Waler's name It is the case also with the Ballindalloch herd in Banffshire that the date of its foundation is unknown Mr M Combie has put it on record that the herd is the oldest in the North and since his earliest recollection it had been the talk of the country just as now it has become the talk of the world The Ballindalloch herd has a history all its own Suffice it to say here that the succession of the late Sir George Macpherson Grant and notably his purchase at the Kinnaird sale in 1861 of the cow Erica 843 marked a new era in Aberdeen Angus breeding and began a work the beneficial influences of which are at the present day felt in almost every herd of the breed without exception throughout the whole world Such instances as these have been quoted to show the antiquity of the race and the length of ti ic during which it has been indigenous to that part of the North of Scotland from the geographical designation of which Aberdeen Angus cattle received their name Early Improvers Having thus in general terms indicated the antiquity of the breed we may pass on in this review to briefly allude to the steps that were taken for its improvement It is not proposed to enter except in a general way into a consideration of the composition of the various leading early herds that helped in the evolution of the Breed but without going into too minute detail it is intended to
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present a general idea of the work accomplished by a few of the early improvers of the breed The place of honour in this list of improvers belongs by general consent to the late Mr Hugh Watson Keillor whose father had black polled cattle as early at least as 1735 Prior to that date when Hugh Watson set about the systematic improvement of the breed the Doddies of Angus were in great demand by English dealers by whom the cattle were purchased in large numbers and fattened on the rich pastures of England Very little was done _by the native breeders to improve the quality until about the beginning of the nineteenth century or end of the eighteenth there was noised abroad the fame of what the Collings had accomplished for the Short Horn by selection and care and here it must be said that what Watson did for the Aberdeen Angus deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as the work that the Collings accomplished for the Short Horns and that Tompkins achieved for the Herefords The impetus given to the breeding of pure stock by Charles Colling's great sale of Short Horns in 1810 when the bull Comet realized 1,000 had also its effect on the introduction of a more systematic method of breeding in the case of Aberdeen Angus cattle It may be recalled that when Hugh Watson was nineteen years of age which was the year 1808 he became tenant of the f_arm of Keillor in the county of Forfar To his new hoine he took with him from his father's herd six cows and a bull all black and polled To these he added ten heifers and a bull which were ac uired in Trinity Muir Market Brechin and it is probable that t ey were descended from the stock which had been so long bred by the Earls of Southesk at Kinnaird Castle With these sixteen cows and two bulls Mr Watson began his system of breeding for a specific result and for the fixation of a definite type or animal That he was successful history has shown for it has been well remarked tglliat there is no herd of the breed which is not indebted to Keillor ood The persistent efforts for the improvement of the breed put forth by Mr Watson up to the time of the dispersion of the herd in 1860 did a great deal for it and the fact that over five hundred prizes fell to his lot during the time he was showing cattle indicates in some measure the success that was attending his work This is confirmed by the large number of bulls that passed out of his herd into the herds of other owners The first occasion upon which Hugh Watson appeared as an exihibitor at the Highland Shows was in 1829 when he showed two oxen One of these oxen he exhibited at the Smithfield Show in London being the first occasion of which there is any trace of Aberileen Aiigus cattle having appeared at that show to the history of which they have since contributed much He also exhibited an Aberdeen Angus heifer and portraits of the two appear in Youatt's work on Cattle published in 1835 For the heifer he was awarded a medal in the class for extra stock Thus began for the breed a connection with the premier fat stock show of Great Britain which forms one of the most remarkable chapters of modern cattle feeding Before passing from his work one cannot omit to mention the great service which Mr Hugh Watson did in introducing the breed to Ireland mainly through the winning of the Purcell challenge cup at Belfast with a son of the prima cow Old Grannie and other showyard victories In considering the spread of Aberdeen Angus cattle in Ireland within the recent years this early work of the Bakewell of the breed ought not to be overlooked For a detailed account of the work accomplished by such fellowworkers in the great cause of improvement with Mr Hugh Watson as the Earl of Southesk Mr Fullerton Ardestie and Mains of Ardovie Mr Bowie Mains of Kelly and the other members of the Angus galaxy and in order to gain a proper appreciation of the great contribution they made to the early history of the Breed reference must be made to the story so graphically told in the pages of Macdonald & Sinclair's History In the county of Aberdeen the outstanding personality in the improvement of the breed was Mr Wm M Combie Tillyfour who taking up the mantle of Hugh Watson was successful in raising the Aberdeen Angus from the position of a local to that of a national and international breed and it is his name that is most closely associated with its evolution if not indeed its rescue from entire extinction as the result of the craze for crossing which followed the introduction of the Tevswater or Short Horn cattle into the North of Scotland about the years 1830 1840 M Combie Appears on the Scene Mr M Combie was born in 1805 and died in 1880 The earlier part of his career was devoted to the lean cattle trade and though he founded his herd of Aberdeen Angus cattle in 1830 it was not until the year 1848 or 1850 that he gave up the lean cattle trade and turned his attention wholly to feeding for the south markets He has himself put it on record that I was led by my father to believe that the polled cattle were peculiarly suited to our soil and climate and that if their properties were rightly brought out they would equal if not surpass any other breed as to weight symmetry and quality of flesh I resolved that I would endeavor to improve our native breed and I have exerted all my energies to accomplish this purpose Early in his career he put it on record that the English agriculturist always maintained that a Scot would never take a first place in a competition with Short Horns I Ierefords and Devons but 1 have given them reasons for changing their minds But not only in England but throughout the world Mr M Combie was to lift high the black flag and to show that his belief in the possibilities of the native cattle of his native county had not been misplaced Success did not attend his efforts at once for he has himself stated that he was an unsuccessful exhibitor at the Smithfield show for iiiany years But such was his indomitable perseverance and above all this thorough belief in the breed and what it could be made to accomplish that he plodded on until success could no longer be denied him Of his pluck and determination we give one of many examples which might be quoted Mr M Combie was acting as judge at a fat stock show in Scotland and during the day a telegram was handed him intimating that at one of the large shows in England one of his oxen though gaining a high place in the prize list had been beaten in the competition 1or the grand chaiiipionsliip and stood only reserve for that honour Mr M Combie read the telegram and folding it up slowly he said _ i will take that prize next year and he kept his word for that next year proved to be the year of Black Prince of Smithfield fame Although Mr M Combie founded his herd in 1830 it was not until Sollle years after that date that he turned his attention in c3 1 Il SiZ to the improvement of the breed in respect of bringing out its feeding capabilities The keystone of his fortunes as a breeder was laid in 18 14 when at the Ardovie sale he purchased the yearling heifer Queen Mother l or a time this cow failed to breed and as a penalty was put to the yoke but in time she gave birth to the heifer calf Lola Montes 208 the grandam of Pride of Aberdeen 581 the toundress of one of the most numerous and one of the most highly prized families of the breed as it is the premier family produced at Tillyfour From the year 1832 when Mr M Coiiibie won first prize at the local show at Alford through that g oi ious period of the sixties and seventies at Smithfield and Paris right down almost to the time of his death in 1880 he persevered with undaunted pluck and those forty cups 130 medals the 100 guinea cup awarded by the late Prince Consort at the international exhibition at koissy in 1862 and the two 100 guinea Objects of Art won at Paris in competition with sixty other varieties of cattle including the leading British and Continental breeds formed tangibie piooi 01 the success of his enorts but what to him was uCilI l lie saw the breed which he loved so well these sable beauties of his native county placed upon a pinnacle which made them known throughout the whole world and which led to their introduction to many parts where hitherto they had been unknown The Triumph of Paris Outstanding in the steps taken to popularize the Breed is the exhibition of the representatives of it at the International Exhibitions in Iirance In this important work Mr M Combie had the as istance of several breeders The first French exihibition which was patronized by breeders of Aberdeen Angus cattle was that held in June 18.56 At it were shown several males and females of the breed being included in the same class as Galloway cattle though of these there were very few representatives In the class for bulls Mr M Combie was first gaining the prize of 32 and a gold medal with the bull Hanton Second and third prizes of 28 and 24 were won by Mr Walker Portlethen while Mr Watson Keillor was fourth For cows Mr M Combie was again first and Lord Southcsk second while Sir George Macpherson Grant and Mr Bowie and Mr Scott Balwyllo were also among the exhibitors Anothcr exhibitor was Lord Talbot de Mzilahide County Dublin showing that the work of Mr Hugh Watson and others in the direction of introducing the breed to Ireland was bearing fruit For one of the Aberdeen Angus bulls an offer of 210 was refused while Mr Watson's fourth prize bull sold at 80 The Emperor Napoleon purchased three animals of the breed including two of the Tillyfour females at 160 and 110 In Volume I of the Polled Herd Book there are two entries by His Imperial Majesty Napoleon III namely Lola Montes 2d and Angelica Aberdeen Angus Ox weighed 2744 At the International Exhibition at Poissy in 1857 when for the firt time fat stock were shown quite a host of prizes fell to Mr M Combie for Aberdeen Angus oxen One of his oxen which was fir it in the class over three years old was the heaviest ox of the British breeds its live weight being 2,744 pounds This ox was sold at 64 whilc Mr M Combie's second prize three year old ox old at 56 Mr J Stewart Aberdeen was also exhibitor of Aberdeen Angus while crosses of the breed were shown by him and by Mr _William Heath Norfolk so that even in those early times feedcrs in the south of England were becomming alive to the valuable cross produced by the use of the Aberdeen Angus continued on page 11 Page 8 Aberdeen Angus Journal August 25 1919
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The Founding and Development of the Aberdeen Angus Breed continued from page 8 Again in 1862 Mr M Combie and Mr Stewart kept the native cattle of the NorthEast of Scotland well into prominence Mr M Combie succeeding on this occasion in raising them to an elevation of honour which they had never reached before Mr M Combie led in the four different classes for oxen and co_ws and heifers Not only so but his first prize ox which in the winter of 1861 had been champion at Birmingham and best Scots ox at Smithfield won the Prix d H0neur or the great gold medal and also the cup offered by the trustees of the late Prince Consort of Britain for the best animal exhibited in all classes irrespective of breed French or British It is little wonder that as the result of this remarkable achievement which to all intents and purposes amounted to the fat stock championship of the world Aberdeen Angus breeding received an impetus such as it had never obtained before After winning prizes in cups and money rcpresenting a sum of 285 the Tillyfour ox which was bred by Mr Tough Deskie Aberdeenshire was photographed by instructions of the French Government and finally passed into the hands of the Empcror's butcher for the sum of 84 Thus in 1856 1857 and 1862 Mr M Combie gained every first prize for Aberdeen Angus breeding and fat cattle awarded by the French Government and taking this into account along with what he was doing at the fat stock and breeding shows throughout Britain it will be seen how apt is the title given to him of the great deliverer of the Aberdeen Angus breed The climax was however reached in 1878 when a herd of the breed was placed in the forefront of the breeds of the world just as the fat stock championship of the world had fallen to the breed in 1862 The triumph of Paris has perhaps few equals in the many notable victories which go to make up Aberdeen Angus history Sir George Macpherson Grant Bart entered six animals Mr M Combie nine though only eight appear to have been sent and Mr Geo Bruce one making in all fifteen animals of the breed which appeared among the Races sans corncs That each of the animals worthily represented the breed may be gathered from the fact that every one of the animals was awarded either a prize ticket or an honourable mention distinction not attained by any of the other sixty four varieties of cattle represented
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But it is to the inter breed competitions at the Paris Exhibition of 1878 that we wish to _ glance for it was in these that there was 3 redlaiihed to the world the superiority of he native cattle of the Noith East of Scotland A prize of Honour of the value of 100 was offered by the French Government for the best animals for breeding purposes bred by exhibitor in the sections of cattle other than French For this trophy there competed representatives of the AberdeenAngus Short Horn Hereford Devon Sussex Ayrshire Highland Suffolk or Norfolk Kerry Dutch Flemish Danish Berne Fribourg Swiss Piedmontese and Portuguese breeds surely as representative a display of the breeds of the world as ever was brought together The prize was awarded to Mr M Combie's group with the herd of Sir George Macpherson Giant second the Aberdeen Angus breed thus providing in this great competition the champion and reserve champion winners Mr M Combie's group it may be again stated consisted of the bull Paris and the females Gaily 1793 Pride of Aberdeen 9th 3523 Sybil 2d 3526 Halt 2d 3527 and Witch of Endor 3528 while Sir Geo Macpherson Grant's group consisted of the bulls Judge 1150 and Petrarch 1258 and the females Eisa 977 Eva 984 Birthday 3373 and Maid of Aven 2995 But honours were to fall even more thickly on the polled cattle of Aberdeenshire The only occasion on which British and French cattle had any opportunity of trying their respective merits was in the competition for the 100 prize for the best group of beef producing animals bred by the exhibitor Mr M Combie's was really the only group finally pitted against the French cattle for this prize The adjudiciating bench had by this time increased to 31 Eventually the chance of France achieving the honour was reduced to Count dc Massol's Short Horns but ultimately by a majority of 24 to 7 the Aberdeenshire animals triumphed And this further fact should be noted as affording another proof of the early maturmg qualities of the Aberdeen Angus that on1y_ one of Mr l r1 Combie's best beefmaking group of six was over two years and a few months An Established Breed lt is fiting to terminate at this point the remarks which have been devoted to the steps taken for the evolution of the breed an_d_ for establishing it on a firm basis of utility for it was utility and utility alone that Mr M Combie the central figure of the movement kept ever in view He had an ideal in breeding his cattle and size symmetry fineness of bone strength of constitution and disposition to accumulate flesh were his chief desiderata Of his success in these respects we say nothing more but point once again to the record of London and Birmingham of the Highland of Scotland and the Royal of England and further afield to the great lnternational Exhibition in the Champ de Mars of Paris where the honours that fell to the glossy blackskins echoed and re echoed throughout the world lifting at one grand sweep the native tattle of Aberdeen and Angus from the status of a local breed to that of a national breed which was thenceforward to play an important part in the cattle industry of the reatest agricultural countries of the wor d We have seen how impossible it is to state definitely the date from which AberdeenAngus cattle can mark their existence as a distinct separate breed That is a matter of hundreds of years ago but the official recognition of the breed is of much more recent date and may indeed be put down to continued on page 13 Page 11
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The Founding and Development of the Aberdeen Angus Breed continued from page ll the year 1835 In that year a report was lodged by a committee of the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland in regard to the live stock at the Society's shows In the course of that report it is stated that distinctly recognized by its numbers and the permancy of its characteristics is the Angus now extending over the adjoining counties This is a breed certainly well suited to a large tract of country and having been cultivated with considerable care deserves encouragement and in this class of stock may likewise be placed what is called
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the polled Aberdeenshire It is to note the differentiation thus made between the cattle of the two cradles of Scotland's greatest breed of cattle but in times it was quite the custom to an animal either by the name Aberdeen the name Angus according to the place birth In the hands of the early such as Watson Bowie Fullerton and M Combie the change and interchange of animals removed the necessity for this differentiation but the fact that it existed as another valuable proof of the extent which the cattle were indigenous to the districts of Aberdeen and Angus At the of the Highland and Agricultural Society 1840 the constitution of the yth the feeding properties of the orn Such in brief outline is the early of the Aberdeen Angus Breed But the of the Breed rests not alone on of a distant past In the pages which follow various aspects of the more recent history of the black hornless victors are with Breeders of Aberdeen Angus are proud of the doings of their Breed justly so In Scotland England and Ireland the Breed is now largely represented while in such a great cattle one of the directors made the statement that the Aberdeen is now an established and deservedly favourite breed and I have the sanction of the judges to say that they every possible attention and care An even more gratifying testimonial awarded the breed in connection with Highland Society's show of 1852 The official report of the show has this sentence They cannot but regard it Aberdeen Angus as the mo_st valuable of Scotland combining as it does in a measure country as America the Breed made good to an extent that is by no other race of cattle Africa is proving one of the brightest spots in the Aberdeen Angus horizon while Argentina Australasia are paying homage to the which by every practical test has proved superiority in the great realm of beef_ production Smithfield and _Chicago Join in proclamation of the qualities of the Breed alive and dead the obtrusive blackskin and homless head reigns more and more supreme in our Cattle Markets _and Fat Stock Shows It is a goodly heritage that has been handed down to present day Breeders Let it be the effort of those Breeders to make the future as brilliant as the past To accomplish this individual effort is necessary for all history is after all but the outcome of individual effort We urge too for unity of effort in strinng after common aims for the advancement of the Breed Let the highest motives charactcrize every transaction in the Breed let Breedersstand strong and firm together uniting as in the great brotherhood craft in fidelity towards one another and towards the Breed in general and of this we can then be assured that the future will hold for the cattle drawn from their cradles ii the Nor East of Scotland a place of honour in world wide cattle annals and a future H1011 brilliant even than the glories of the past ioi Aberdeen Angus Journal August 25
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WHAT MAKES A GOOD PEDIGREE By Prof CA Wt lLs0n University of Tennessee _ HEN two breeders of live stock meet and talk about some animal that either of them may own one of the first questions that is asked is What is the breeding of this animal The reason for this is that it is necessary to establish some points of interest regarding the animal and the easiest way to establish points of interest with the animal in question is to tell of the animals in the pedigree that have won in the show ring The items of greatest interest with any animal of course is the winnings that it has won in the show ring The percentage however of animals that have won in the show ring is so small that when the av_erage animal is spoken of it is generally taken for granted that it has never been shown and hence the necessity of reierring to some of of the animals in the pedigree that have won in the show ring The pedigree is about the only thing whereby breeders can establish a point of interest regarding the average animal when the animal is not present so that its good qualities can be discussed The pedigree is then one of the great standards of measurement of breeding animals among breeders for it is about the only thing that can be carried in mind in such a way that it can be used as knowledge to trade upon when in conversation with other breeders Knowledge of pedigrees is sometimes used in conversation for establishing real bonds of interest between breeders and_ is sometimes used by breeders to display their knowledge of pedigrees for to be a connoisseur of pedigrees is the height of ambition of many breeders It is necessary for the breeder who wishes to succeed to become familiar with the noted animals of the breed through a study of their winnings and rating among other breeders The new breeder should therefore make it one of his studies and should work hard at it for to know the history of the important animals of any of the breeds is to know breed history The rating of a pedigree depends first of all upon the rating of the animals in it The important animals in a edigree are those of both sexes which have won in the shows he_ cows in the pedigree are exactly as important as the_ bulls and vice versa for it is a well proven la v of animal breeding that the influence of either sex upon the offspring is equal Yes it is true that the scrub cow has just as much influence upon the offspring as the pure bred bull If you want to raise calves that shall not look as though they were one half scrub you must use co vs of the best type as well as to use bulls that are of the best type A cow which has been an undefeated champion in the large shows where there has been strong competition is as important in the pedigree as a bull that has been an undefeated champion in the same shows with as strong competition She is just as important to the breeder who is vitally interested in having a herd that will breed on Bulls of equal show winnings with cows may have the greater reputation because of the very much larger number of offspring that ey produce and hence because of the greater number of breeders to talk about them and advertise them Animals become noted through their winnings at the shows and also through the winnings of their offspring The value of an animal's show winnings depend not upon the number of shows that premiums were won at nor upon the number of ribbons but upon the competition that the animal has won against One hotly contested winning is worth a great number of ribbons that have been taken at shows where there was not worthy competition The best criterion by which to judge the importance of an animal in a pedigree is the number of offspring that has been _produced by any animal that have won in the show ring An animal that can transmit desirable characteristics is muc_h more de_sirabl_e than one that simply has show records to its credit Sometimes it happens that an animal was n_ot grown out well when young and therefore had no chance to win in the show 1 in or _may indeed never have been given a chance to com ete in te ring and yet transmits the show fonn that he would ave possessed if he had been properly grown and fitted for the show when young There are instances today in the pure breeds where a bull would not make a creditable showing yet is producing show winners ever ye_ar Such animals when they occur in the pedigree rightly ma e fine pedigrees for their offspring is the proof of their value The first proof of a valuable pedigree is the animal itself Does the average breeder make serious in uiry into the pedigree of an animal that has made a remarkable _s ow record The animal is pedigree There are today animals in every breed that have become famous through their show record their production record or the performance of their_ offspring who have pedigrees that would be called plain breeding and yet the occurance of these animals in pedigrees of their descendants makes such pedigrees high class The greatest constnictive breeders that the world has ever known have made pedigrees for the animals that they have bred through showing them or their offspring or through making performance records with them The world will always be more quick to recognize merit in an individual and will pay more for it than they will for individuals that have melt simply among their ancestors This is so important that high class individuality is always of prime importance When we wish to engage high class ability in a man for some important department oi our business the u ual question is What can you do 1 and not What did your grandfather do So in selecting an animal for the herd the first question should be What desirable characteristics has the animal to recommend it and then in this case since we are interested in its offspring we might well ask What are the characteristics of the ancestors The noted ancestors in a pedigree should be close in for the farther they are removed from the individual in question the less will be the influence upon the offspring produced There is u law in animal breeding that The characteristics that any animal has were inherited one half from the parents 0118 fO ll1 ll from the grandparents one eighth from the great grandparents etc etc it is therefore tour tiiiies as important that an animal be sired by a noted animal that that the noted animal be the grandsii c or sixteen times as important as that the noted animal be the great grandsire Of course by the same reasoning it naturally follows that if the noted animal occurs several times in the pedigree the effect upon the offspring may be the equivalent of the anunal in question being sired by the noted animal Concentration of blood lines in a pedigree of a noted animal makes a pedigree valuable for the reason that the animal whose pedigree is being studied will be more pure for the desirable characteristics That is he will be more likely to tiansmit the form and characteristics that he possesses An animal is not valuable for breeding purposes when it ls of poor type and has many undesirable characti i istics I would rather have an animal that was of splendid type and form with a plain bred pedigree than to have an animal that was of undesirai le type and had a fancy pedigree in the first place it is known that one is dealing with at least some desirable characters and in the other case it is not known at all that one is dealing with any desirable characters Good pedigrees can perhaps best be described by giving the characteristics of poor pedigrees The pedigree of an animal is not considered first class if the good animals in it are far removed The difficulty in such cases is that in the far removed gcneiations there may be so many others of mediocre breeding that will offset the good influences of the well bred animals that the good effects of them may be practically set at nil Sellers of such animals oftentimes befog the inexperienced purchaser by mentioning the noted animals in the pedigree but in such a way as to call attention to them only and not the mediocre animals that are close in in the pedigree For example they might say This is a very encellently bled animal His sire is by a son of the noted bull X and his grandam was by a son of Y By the use of such terminology he confuses the prospective purchaser as to the true relationshi of the noted animals in the pedigree to the animal in uestion ad he said This animal is a gi eat randson of the bull and a great great grandson of the bull Y fie prospective purchaser would not have been duly impiessed with the noted animals that occur in the pedigree lt may be enough in human pedigrees to zig zaz back through the ancestral generations of the ages past to some noted ancestor living at the time of William the Conqueror but animal breeders are after piactical results and they know that the noted animals in the pedigree must be close in if they are to have any value in their pedigree Again a pedigree may be full of prize winning animals and yet the pedigree not be a first class one For example if the rizewinning animals have won prizes under judges having dif erent types in mind there would be introduced into the pedigree animals of diverse types The results to be obtained through the breeding of animals of diverse types are as uncertain as they are in the crossbreeding of animals There will be in the succeeding generations as many types as there are possible combinations of the characters involved The important thing in a high class gedigree is that the animals in it be uniformly of the same type an that type a desirable type I would rather have a pedigree with one or two prize winning animals of the right type than to have one that had five or more prize winning animals of differing types The first animal would be very likely to produoe ma animals of uniformly Aberdeen Angus Journal September 10 1919 Page 9
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good type and the results from the other would be so uncertain that it would be difficult to foretell the results It is for this reason that it is almost always a more successful practice to mate animals who have grandparents in common We are much more certain of the results where line bred animals are used in breeding than where animals containing in their pedigrees several different lines of breeding One is justified in going outside any particular line of breeding for new blood only when it is found that the line of breeding in use does not meet the requirements of the market demands Because a few advertisers have boomed some particular line of breeding is not sufficient reason for the man who wishes to become a constructive breeder to go out of the line of breeding that he has been following to suit the passing whims of a capricious public The truly constructive breeder can make pedigrees if he can determine what the practical market demands and then hews to the line and produces the animals that will best meet those demands His animals are bound to win in the show ring when properly fitted as soon as the unreal values of the overadvertised animals that do not meet market demands dissipate It is more difficult to be a good judge of pedigrees of any particular breed than it is to be a good judge of an animal of that breed One might then properly ask Vvho are good judges of pedigrees l o be a good judge of pedigrees of any particular breed means that one not only must be a good judge of animals within that breed but he must also follow the shows in person and fix the animals in mind so that when he sees a pedigree he may know in person the animals within the pedigree The only person fitted to judge a pedigree is the person who knows the animals within it for the first three ancestral generations Since types that win in the show ring vary less than do animals that do not win one may become a fairly good judge of pedigrees through studying closely the winnings of animals each year and then watching the performance of their offspring This of course is most easily ascomplished through visiting the larger shows and becoming acquainted with the prominent breeders and comparing notes as to the success of the various animals and family lines The name that an animal bears very often bears no relation to the value of its pedigree It is silly to say that any animal belongs to any particular family when the only claim he has to it is that the eighth or tenth dam of the female tail line was the original animal of the family when he has a sire that is inbred and line bred on some other family Animals oftentimes bear names of noted animals and yet the animals of whose name they bear do not occur nearer than fifth to sixth ancestral generation and at the same time the pedigree of the animal in question may be full of the breeding of some particular animal The name of an animal therefore very often bears no relation whatever to the real breeding of that animal Only an extended pedigree for four or five ancestral generations will show what real breeding of an animal is An animal should be said to belong to any particular family onlv when the name of the animal that is looked upon as the founder of the family occurs three or more times within the four or five ancestral generations nearest to the animal in question From the descriptions given in this article as to what constitutes a good pedigree it may be seen that that animal is best bred that has been line bred on some animal that is of the highest type for utility purposes or that has been bred from animals that Wt re of the same and uniform type When animals are produced of the highest perfection and have edigrees of this type it is hard to say where the upper limit o the value of the animal should be Those who can afford to buy them cannot pay too much for them for they represent the climax of years of selection and breeding and are animals from which immediate and desirable results may be expected To those who cannot afford to purchase them the advice should be given to study the markets the shows and the herds of other breeders and make selections where ever they may be obtained and then amalgamate them into the type that will win the approbation of the world The greatest constructive breeders the world has ever known have purchased good animals where ever they could find them regardless of pedigree and then have built up from them types and individuals that the world recognized as the founders of noted families The man who produces animals that win makes pedigrees Page 10 Aberdeen Angus Journal September 10 1919
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PostSubject: Re: Historical articles   Historical articles I_icon_minitimeSat May 26, 2012 5:56 pm

Historical articles Books?id=N9QwAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA1-PA11&img=1&zoom=3&hl=en&sig=ACfU3U1CigIoU7sNWrnbzWMpk7wSOBJ99Q&ci=29%2C1095%2C628%2C200&edge=0

l HEREFORD BOOSTERS PLEASE NOTE l Sunflower Grace of Texas 152913 is a wonderful cow She will weigh 1300 lbs right off the native grass and would win money in any kind 0 company if put in show shape She dropped her first calf at 2 years and 10 days of age and has brought a calf every 10 to 11 months since Hereford breeders tried to tell mo that Aberdeen Angus cattle would not breed well in this climate I have exploded that theory with a 100 per cent calf crop for ten years in succession The only trouble I have is they will breed before I can wean them The only way they get more calves than I do is to get more twins JH Seright Tuola Okla
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PostSubject: Re: Historical articles   Historical articles I_icon_minitimeSat May 26, 2012 6:00 pm

Historical articles Books?id=N9QwAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA2-PA14&img=1&zoom=3&hl=en&sig=ACfU3U3Iwu1slm9wt4oqhlwP3f55HXJQvw&ci=31%2C133%2C315%2C474&edge=0

The whole live stock market situation is suffering from a political cyclone too much hot air to put it another way The most popular way for the average politician in Congress to get on the 11 ont pages of the dairy papers is to throw a brick at the packers and yell that he has a bill to reduce the high cost of living What care he if the brick misses the wicked packer and hit's the farmer's steer What he needs is votes In the present case the hog market has been hit about $5 a hundred and the cattle market some $3 or $4 just at a time when the market should have been on the upgrade Possibly the efforts of the federated farm bureaus of the Corn Belt States led by Illinois may have some effect but it _is doubtful if such an organization has got its machinery working smoothly enough yet to have much immediate effect in telling the farmers to stay off the markets with grain and live stock until they become sane Ed Hall said something to the point when on the market with a bunch of Aberdeen Angus steers the other day that topped Chicago for the day Feeders generally are hesitatirig about buying feeders until the period of agitation is over and the market is allowed to settle down to normal he said The figures from the Bureau of Markets are worth studying to show the trend of killings at different markets as compared with last year and the decreases in hogs and cattle as compared with the gain in sheep
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PostSubject: Re: Historical articles   Historical articles I_icon_minitimeSat May 26, 2012 6:03 pm

Historical articles Books?id=N9QwAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA1-PA40&img=1&zoom=3&hl=en&sig=ACfU3U0uEky9Hx-nCCeCKzaTe53Y-CiAaw&ci=166%2C396%2C688%2C393&edge=0

Plowman 221051 Forty five times Champion including the Grand Championship of Clflldl
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PostSubject: Re: Historical articles   Historical articles I_icon_minitimeSat May 26, 2012 6:04 pm

Historical articles Books?id=N9QwAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA1-PA43&img=1&zoom=3&hl=en&sig=ACfU3U17922bDWCd7q695i-KuR_BTXOK7Q&ci=247%2C131%2C515%2C400&edge=0

Imp Model Prince 4075 weight 2400 and winner for his importer JH Rea A Son in the early 80s
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