METHODS OF JUDGING

Shannon News, 15 February 1927, Page 4

METHODS OF JUDGING

There are two ways of judging animals—one by their appearance, and the other by their performance. Anyone who judges entirely by the latter is immediately accused of "farming 'on paper," and indeed, many have failed to attain their ambitions and turn out first-class stock through paying too much attention to milk records, egg records, etc., without having due regard to the appearance of their animals. Consequently they have lost constitution. At the same time, it is equally unsound to judge by appearances and show points iwk less these have been proved beyond question to be utility points also. What is needed to-day is some system of correlating yields with external features and a great deal more accurate experimental work and observation are needed before this can be done Many a cow has got a 'good bag," but in spite of it only gives a low yield. . Our show societies are continually paying more attention nowadays to performances as opposed to show points, and it is sincerely to be hoped that thi s wilj enable breeders to see what external features are connected with high yielding capacity and so help them to judge accurately the milking capapity of a cow by her outward appearance.