HEREDITY OF DISEASE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2230, 23 October 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

HEREDITY OF DISEASE.

It is the general belief that if either a male or female animal has met with an injury on auy part of ita body or limbs dm ing tho pregnancy of tho female, this injury will never be shown by the offspring. But we have lately heard of several instances to the contrary, of injuries being: fully transmitted, more particularly, however, from the female ; so that they ought to be guarded against in breeding, as well as against disease in the parents. The latter is so generally certain to be developed in the offspring, that all seusible persons agree that neither male nor female should ever be permitted to breed when diseased in the slightest degree. There are immense losses annually suffered in rearing young animals born of such parents. Heaves, curb, spavin, side-bone, and rin^-bone, are the most ordinary ailments that are shown in horses, while scrofula developes most surely and disastrously in cattle. Pareut animals of every kind should be in perfect health and condition at the time of breeding, and the young should be judiciously fed and attended to until fullgrown, and then they will be fit for the best of service through an extra leugth of life. Our farmers would add substantially to their incomes, if they would persistently adopt the above suggestions in breeding and rearing their domestic animals. — American Agriculturist