CULLING

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 3 December 1927, Page 12

CULLING

ESSENTIAL IN FLOCK BUILDING The stock producer should always remember when building up a breeding herd or flock that it pays best to save only the best females and to secure a sire of outstanding quality and individuality. It is hard work culling out young animals that may be a oit off type, but yet have some good points, and on to their inferior females in hope that they will turn out well. It is important, however, that there be regular and consistent culling in the breeding herd, so that the young stock which will eventually lake their place in the herd will be as good or better than the ancestors. If they are not, no improvement is taking place.- A. writer in the Farmers’ Advocate points out that, knowing the breeding and characteristics of sire and dam or of more remote ancestors the owner sees or thinks ho sees, more in some individuals than is apparent to the outsider, it might pay, and pay well, to have someone who is recognised as an authority on the breed to go over the herd or flock and cull it. The next move would be to get rid of these individuals so that the best omy would be re tained for breeding purposes. Unfortunately there are many who are content to work along with a mediumquality herd or flock. They do not strive for the best, and as a result they do not get very far with their breeding operations. There are those who have a splendid lot of breeding females, but do not seem to have the knack of picking the sire that will mate best with them. It takes some courage to pay up in four figures for the bull that one feels satisfied wi, work the most improvement. The live stock industry owes a great deal to the men who have for several decades considered that only the best was good enough to breed from. From these herds and flocks have gone out the sires that have done much to improve other herds and flocks, wa.-h which in turn have sent out herd and flock headers that have worked improvement on the commercial stock. Whether a person has non-pedigree stock or purebreds, it is wise to keep culling and always use the best sfes available. Where culling of the breeding females is not practised there is lack of uniformity. There are good and poor feeders, there are good and poor milkers, there are weak and strong constitutioned animals which make up a herd or flock that does not favourably impress the visitor, nor is it a satisfaction to the owner.