HORSE BREEDING AND FEEDING.

Patea Mail, Volume IV, Issue 311, 10 April 1878, Page 4

HORSE BREEDING AND FEEDING.

(From the Canterbury Times.) . Mr McDowell, of Malcolmstonc, read a paper on this- subject at a recent meeting of the Mid Lothian Agricultural Association. Mr M'Dowell, after briefly refei ring to the breeds of Lincolnshire, Cleveland, Suffolk, and Flanders, said Scotch farmers had most interest in the Clydesdale. How they were at first bred must be matter of conjecture, and perhaps argument. Wo are told that au Earl of Huntingdon imported a few Hutch mares (a breed much, thought of) into the Clyde district, and crossed them with the native breed (probably the old pack horse), lienee the foundation of the now famous Clydesdale. Now that a stud book lias been established for Clydesdale, we should well consider whether we should not support it. Horse-breeding, allow me to say, may be viewed in two aspects —first, the principle of breeding; second, the practice of breeding. Our object in breeding must either be for the showyavd (expense put aside) or for commercial purpose (expense included). At this stage we are met by two classes— the advocates of blood and those of selection, and it becomes, as some think, a knotty point. It is an axiom that like begets like. This, I think, only holds good in a true-bred parentage on both sides ; for while it is true that fickle change will bOmetiracs have her hill, it dose not hold true, as a rule, that under or even medium-bred animals produce the coveted type of offspring. I would much prefer an entire horse of good pedigree and ordinary parts to a horse ot superior shapes, with ordinary or doubtful pedigree. We should never lose'sight of the fact that the progeny inherit more of the blood and character generally of the sire than the dam. Therefore, I urge that too much attention cannot be given to blood we introduce in the way of bringing a stallion into the district. Money 'or price should never be an obstacle. How the horse should be used when, obtained seems another disputed point. I hold that it is enough for any horse in a season to travel regularly the round of this Association (though it be not very wide) without leaving many foals; and I think we will find that, time counted, far the greatest number of foals are left in the first thr-'e weeks, when tiie horse is comparatively fresh, and I would take the liberty of saying that first foals are, as a rule, the best. I also think that much error prevails as to the adequate number of mares the horse should be put to, as by too many not only is the horse wasted, but the foals also. I would venture another opinion on the principle of breeding. Having obtained the best blood, we should not change for three years, for by repeated copulations of same dam and sire we get a better admixture of blood, and an improvement in the general outlines of their progeny. I have already stated that the foal takes most to the side of the sire. This is especially true of the first foal, if the sire has any special strong or week parts about him. On the practice of breeding it seems almost superfluous to enter, as we are all more or less engaged or interested. Wo should use nothing but our best mares, or those of the best descent we can obtain, as nothing but the best class of animals will pay us for our trouble. Neither should we breed from vicious animals, Mares approaching parturition require to be carfully and rather sparingly wrought and fed. What the diet should consist of each one may judge for himself. Many kinds of food are suitable, and it would be imprudent and impossible to state hard and fast lines as to a regimen of diet, as people, often, perhaps too often give what comes readiest to hand. When the foal shows a disposition to eat, a few sweet oats may be given with advantage, and increased with its strength and growth. Hand feeding, in whatever way, has this recommendation, that the young animal is prepared for weaning time, and experiences little change when taken from its dam. The methods of feeding afterwards are legion—milk, cake, sugar, molasses, with good hay and oats; or of tenor boiled food, steamed food, oats or beans or both; raw turnips, potatoes, draff or dreg, with straw always. ■■ ■ II »«H I I ill* ■ TE KOOTL The Hawke’s Bay paper says—The a-oh-rebel Te Kooti has assumed a new '•haraou-r, that of a miracle worker and a nealcr of maladies. For many months past Maoris from Poverty Bay and Wairoa districts, afflicted with disease, have made pilgrimages to Te Kooti’s residence in the King country, and, strange to say, have come back cured. It is very little use to tell a native that the sorcerer is practising on the. credulity and superstition of the people when he can point to undoubted cases of cures. And so the fame of Te Kooti is rapidly spreading over the whole island; and the influence he is thereby obtaining is not likely to be less than when he led all the blood-thirsty scoundrels of his race to Itio massacre of English women and child’-en. Those who know the natives best are watching this movement with some anxiety, not the less so on account of tbp manifest desire of the Government to pardon murderers,, and kill the fatted calf iu their honor.’ Products of Africa.—Explorers’ books. Curious Statistics.—A woman- loses erm-tenth of her life in looking for her thimble. Fimch says that the clergy should be distinguished as “ Thirty-nine-articled Clerks.” ■'