ARM & COMMERCIAL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 46, 19 November 1918, Page 8

ARM & COMMERCIAL

BAT IS THE WORTH OF THE !.-.■. SIRE?

|here is no place in the lealm of trade ere values are as little standardised [in pedigreed live stock. Two sires ''equal value ninj- vary greatly in ce. Again, there is no' place in; the' lm of trade where salesmanship counts, jmore than in the selling of pedigreed 3 ; fltockr--Speaking generally, pedigreed 'f: stock,'and" particularly sires, are •11 not so, much on the basis of value ■ worth as upon the reputation, aud' nding of the seller aud the financial' ility of the? buyer, or it may be the' lent to which the buyer is susceptible;th'e subtle and sundry influences with ich he permits himsolf to be surround- (''. Another factor which contributed ';-the Worth of a sire is the 60-ealled.' n'mercial value of his offspring, Per-, ps this can; 'jest be illustrated by callt attention to a fact which is quite well own, but •.which is not so often 'disced, that two sires' may be of equal rth as far as quality of their off•ihg.is concerned, but one sire may be ia popular' Strain, the. other 'not well known!* In considering tho rth of a sire it-is necessary to take !b account the probable • price which ! get will-command, tun over in your mind j the breeders !b 'have made a permanent- success of i'-pedigreed live stock business in any lithe leading : breeds of live stock and j any large percentage of them who fe'achieved their success by the:aid tlie purchase of. unusually high-priced is: A-.large majority of the couetruee breeders of the country, vwho have itributed to the upbuilding of the varii breeds, have accomplished their purje in the main by conservative', •hardided business judgment, and not by iing a flyer in paying a very unusual be for :niales or females. This is not iying the fact that the shortest road an immediate financial gain occasionflies along the road of the' high-ced.sires-of history.

Vith very few exceptions, the greatest .•s of history were unheralded at the rt, and have to their place of iminene'e and influence after years of ;ient, intelligent effort on the' part their owners; W T e must not lose sight the rank and file of breeders of. pedied live stock in this country. The jority of these men are not finam jly able to pay more for sires than, ij: are actually worth to them. • This t always has a steadying■' effect upon I'marke't for .pedigreed sires, and I am the opinion that, takine the-country a whole, breeders are likely to un-.-er-iraate rather than overestimate tne ue of"a sire. As a result, the major.. |.of sires change hands at very-modest pes. .;.,.. ;,.>'''. !,'■;•'' ]'. :., , ;■ breeder may sell-, a '"sire- -at a good bng ; price and at its true'value. 'It Ij- fail into thei;.hands'':of.' : a"'breeder' farmer who does not succeed in mak--;'.the sire pay out.-;. >A..failure to do, ishould hot !be -charged' up, to the ■eder who sells the sixes unless the sell-': iknowing the facts,. urged-the purchase a high-priced size with a full -.knowf' ge that the chances were against;'trials. ; the investment a. satisfactory.-one.-r j.W. Mufnford; in the "Swine. World"; ':' ■; : J;-' ■■';'} ' ''^■■^ l -\