LOW ON BREEDS OF CATTLE.
THE object of this work is to define, by means of pictures and de- scriptions, the distinctive characters of the most valuable breeds of domestic animals used for draught or food, with a view to guide the breeders of stock in preserving the several races entire while improving their qualities. In this country, where pasturage con- stitutes so large a proportion of the agriculture—half the rental of land being derived from grazing—and where the rearing of stock is encouraged by every means of stimulating improvement, it is sur- prising to find what glaring mistakes are made in the breeding of cattle, arising from sheer ignorance.
Professor Low, in the preface to this work, points out many capi- tal errors commonly committed, in rearing breeds of oxen or sheep either too delicate for the locality, or of an inferior kind, that can- not profit by the advantages of the soil and climate, and in dete- riorating the excellent qualities peculiar to the race by an inju-
dicious mixture of blood. The following remarks disclose a lamentable waste of resources arising from imperfect knowledge.
ERRORS Or CATTLE-BREEDERS.
Animals become gradually adapted to the conditions in which they are placed, and many breeds have accordingly became admirably suited to the na- tural state of the country in which they have been acclimated. Thus, the West Highland breed of cattle has become suited to a humid climate and a country of mountains; the beautiful breed of North Devon, to a country of lesser altitude and milder climate. In thes..4 and many cases more, an inter- mixture of stranger blood might destroy the characters which time has im- printed on the stock, and give as the result a progeny inferior iii useful proper- ties to either of the parent races. Not only have individual breeders erred in the application of this kind of crossing, but it is certain that several entire breeds have been lost which ought to have been carefully preserved. There are many breeds, indeed, so defective in themselves, that time and capital would have been lost in endeavouring to cultivate them ; but not u few, as will be seen in the sequel, might have been improved to the degree required, by mere selection of parents, and attention to the known principles of breeding. Not only do animals become adapted in constitution, temperament, and habits, to the situations in which they have been naturalized, but characters communicated by art become permanent by continued reproduction. Thus, in the case of the dairy breed of Ayrshire, by breeding from females that possess the property of yielding a large quantity of milk, a peculiar breed has been at length formed, exceedingly well suited to the purposes of the dairy, and at the same time hardy and fitted to subsist on ordinary food. Now, such a breed might be injured, and not improved, by crossing, even with a race superior to itself in many properties. Thus, a cross with time Durhams and Ilerethrds would produce a race of huger size and superior fattening pro- perties to the native race ; but even in these properties the progeny would be inferior to either the Herefords or the Durhams, and inferior to the Ayrshire itself as a hardy race of dairy cattle. Thus the crossing of oxen with a race apparently superior, will not always be attended with ultimate good ; and cau- tion anti knowledge of the end to be arrived at are required even in cases where the good seems most easily attained. Another error of a very different kind, but proceeding likewise from igno- rance of the relative value of breeds, prevails to a great extent. Breeds, in themselves bad, are obstinately retained in districts fitted to support superior races. In every part of the kingdom, we see in existence wretched breeds, un- worthy of being preserved, while the easiest means are at the command of the farmer of suppl■ ing their place by others suited to the locality. Over the greater part of Wales, for example, there are races of wild diminutive sheep, which, in economical value, bear no comparison with those which could be sup- plied from other mountain districts. In Kerry, and other mountainous dis- tricts stretching along the Western coast of Ireland, in place of such sheep as the country would maintain, are to be seen assemblages of animals of the size of dogs, and as wild as antelopes, neither having wool fitted to the manufac- tures of time country, nor being capable of fhttening to any size. Even in the heart of Yorkshire, as we shall see in the sequel, a breed of sheep is preserved, covering a considerable tract of country, which, from its coarseness of form and inaptitude to fatten, ranks in the lowest class of cultivated sheep in England. And in every part or the kingdom we may see examples of the vast public and private loss which results from ignorance of the relative value and economical uses of the different breeds of our domestic animals.
All this calls imperatively for reform; and Professor Low would do good service to the agriculturists by disseminating time princi- ples that should govern the practice of breeding stock, either in the progress of this work or in a separate treatise.
, The First Part relates to the Ox, and describes the specific cha- racteristics of the Wild or White Forest breed, indigenous to the soil of Britain. These may yet be seen in their primitive wildness
in the parks of the Duke of HAMILTON and Lord TANKERVILLE, The specimen given is a cow of the pure breed in a tame state, forming part of the regular farm-stock at Haverfordwest. The bull and cow of the Pembroke breed are given as the type of the whole mountain breeds of Wales ; and four specimens of the West Highland breed as the model of the mountain breeds of Scotland, The animals figured are all portraits of individual beasts, se- lected from the stocks of eminent breeders ; and were painted by Mr. SHIELS, of' the Royal Scottish Academy, for the Agricultural Museum in the College of Edinburgh : they are lithographed very neatly by FAIRLAND, and coloured from copies, by Mr. NICHOLSON, of the original paintings. Of the general fidelity of representa- tion, Professor Low's sanction is sufficient guarantee ; and we have no doubt the " points" are sufficiently indicated to the experienced eye of the grazier : but for our own liking, we could wish greater anatomical distinctness, and a more picturesque grouping. Each part will be devoted to a separate species of animals, and paged so that the accounts of each kind may be bound up sepa- rately when complete. The second part will consist of Sheep, and appear on the 1st of April.
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