...-llll ll:

JANU 9. 1937

m

_(A Genetic

1m; Nvement In . FJXES

Progressive

l

ram‘ 1v

4;, l-Innls smith, Superintendent. uxperimcnial l-ux Ranch, summer-side, lilo-l.)

A discussion of the general prin- ciples” underlying a progressive ti lc improvement may give fox breeders a clearer insight regarding, 0.. tile one hand, the extent to which good judgment must be exer- eisctl to cievclop desirable types, and on the other the limit to which se- 1,311,011, no matter how judiciously i-ilrllcd out, can or will influence u progressive genetic improvement. A progressive genetic improvement wtl result from breeding along Milillll fundamental lines, but it mus! not be confused with the re- st: s obtained when breeding for u certain type, which may or may not p» u progressive genetic improve- 1lli‘i1l..

1n tile last few years there has been it swing in the market to- wards full silvers, which are most H] demand at present, with the re- sult that fox breeders have been breeding for pales and extra pales. Foxes iii the ranches now present iiu entirely different picture than ill it of n few years previously. Con- nltlfiflllg the relatively dank type of itlxtis fol-mug the breeding stock in inc majority of ranches, when in.» market began to swing towards 1 it is to the cretilt oi rox breeders that they have risen to the occasion and in a very short p0ri0d are producing a prepond- ]‘,'»llL‘t‘ of pale and extra pale silvers l lo lllUCl. tile demand. But that by l i... nit-alts can be calmed to be a progressive genetic improvement; it is simply a successful achievement to produce a type of foxes that the ultirket tiemalids.

Ul course with sound breeding ads there should still be a pro- , ve genetic improvement, in- (ii,)t'lld(‘lll. of whether the fox ant-tiers are attempting to bleed antler silvers or medium or dark Flvllillill foxes. The present drift be- m: towards all silvers would not b-- expected to retard a tme pro- lgz- ttve improvement. If the mar- lii~l should swing in a few years to- WilftlS dark or medium silvers, lin- Ilflillllfillly the fox breeders would rise to the occasion and would pro- duce a prepondrailce of dark and llllllillill foxes, and by the time the lull-ding stock became mostly me- illurirand dark silvers, the progres- sir? genetic development would be no more or no less than lf there ll‘i'l been n continued demand for um and dark silvers, and the breeders had been continual

l0\ strivulg to produce dark and medl- lllll silver foxes instead of all sli-

\'[‘I'S Genetic Improvement

(‘ulnraily to what appears to be lll.‘ ‘.l'll',‘l'ill expectations breeding

nil.‘ prndtlcllig prize winning foxes tuw not lead to any marked pro- iw- -l'ii~ genetic improvement. From

ll; wliulll Poland Clllllu. swine of 1.0.1 to 1010 the show ring‘ called] t.. lard type. btit lifter that period b. t to swing to the other ex- litlili‘ lii size and length to more, oi the bacon type. Authorities are‘ not prepalcd to recognize that there l m. it progressive genetic ilnprove- I lil swinging from sic one; l5... to llle other. l

‘lnore is every reason to bellevel tlial with some of tile outstanding‘ fllulllploli foxes there has been an; l’t'-.l‘t|)l.lt)l1B.l genetic improvement,l but these can only he coilsidered. as irt-ilk raises; immediately that lil"‘ are bred to other animals in tlic ‘lllll or other herds the oil- sptlligs will approach the general lt-.i-l of the herds. Fox breeders may produce champion foxes, but that is mt rvidence of a progressive 88n- l e tr inlprovelncllt. 110w lnttny cases ill" there of several successive gen- t-iulioiiv inning grnnd-chalilpion- blllllv‘ o‘ i~ en championships? ’I‘hat i. l.i say ;./.w many cases are there of a global-champion fox produc- luu a grnud-chanlpioil son or d..ul;l.ter, and so on for two or flirt-i: generations in succession? Diipite the fact that champion fe- nlalrs have produced numerous oft- iprlngs. imd there are scores of suth champion females, yet out 0f that vast number of offsprings pro- (llll'L‘ll from champion females, there are very few cases, ii any, of cham- p.011 females producing champion 50th or champion daughters; 1116i’ are more the exception than, the rule. Cluuilpion males, being used lllllikzlliloltsly, produce a great num- b r of pups, among which it might br expected that there would be B Illlll.l)i‘l‘ of champion IoXBbM-klcl- l-ltrr a-re very lew, ll any. 01 511C“ East's.

Breeding To TIP“

1t would not be feasible to at- lrlnpt to sidestep the probability that this might be due l0 fills‘? iltllldnrflfi used iii juugllltl the 1°?“ h. Whilst there may be many r011- tons to believe that those stand- ltds are still far from the ideal, Vet the fact that champion or itlailtl-clliimplon silver foxes have lulled to produce champion or italul-rhalnpioli sons or dallBlll-Clsr ls l.» often the case with other illit- m" i. lt. is questionable from a 89"‘ lantipoint if it can be iii any attributed to the standouts by l'lllCll the foxes are Judged, at 101st when those standards have been lmoiirtlully adhcfed to, but rather

‘(M1158 a stage in the genetic p10- Q11:

\é

rat and Raccoon, etc.

P. E. I. 182 Que

,oii. Further, the examination also

.w.b,.lbt of-troublea-if-thcy can BB»

FOX PELTSFVIIIIIIIIF”

We have received all order from zltlvllarfifidcgorl: ndian manufacturing c0mil=l".",l°'__ Q'f|al.,e,.s)_ ored skins (Full Sllversfland

Will pay top prices for .ese s ' . .|._ Also buying ReJ and Croats Foxes, Blink. “us.

FUR TRADERS

gresslve improvement with silver? foxes has not been reached where, the foxes can be expected to breed l true t0 type. Slowly but surely tlirit stage will eventually be reached .1 the fox breeders breed along fun- | daniental lines. . F07‘ breeders. t0 produce a certain l ll/ne. must continually be making a discreet selection in breeding their 50x95. Particularly with regard to producing any desirable types of silver, conformation and o.her ia- vourabe characters, but, a, progres- sive genetic improvement is more dependent upon breeding along sound, fundamental lines than on the judgment of the breeder. Breed- ing authorities will not recognize that the selection made by the breeders has or could influence to R Dronounced extent the progres- sive genetic improvement that has taken plaeewlth different breeds of animals; in any case the effectl would only be very slight. The in» dlvidual inherited traits of foxes and of all mammals are innumer- able. At the present time no actual measure has been made of the vast- ness of their number. At the best only a very few traits have been recognized, and probably there are fess such traits with silver foxes than with other animals. Consider- 111g the small number of traits that could be selected and recognized in‘

comparison with the host of illi-

identified characters. it could not

be expected that selection would,‘ influence a progressive genetic im-

provement. Selection simply hclpil to breed to a type when that type; has been recognized. Fox breeders] can achieve a great deal by exercis- , lug their judgment ciiscrcetly, butl many attempt the impossible and

because they inevitably fall are ln-

clincd to blame the foxes rather- than question their own ability and

judgment. As the matings planned » invariaby did not produce the ro- . suits. to their expectations tilt-y ‘ have drifted into indifferent meth- ods of breeding.

Improper Feeding

Examination of the pelts coming into the different co-operatlve lnar- -‘ ketlng establishments clearly show . the fact that numerous good foxes are ruined by improper feeding as would be expected the way ille nia- jority of foxes are fed at the pres- ent time, but that is not ovldencel that the foxes are getting ilvorsc.‘ but that they have not been fed properly. One might just as well say that there is no improvement in automobiles because somebody tried to drive 'n 1937 model without

shows that there is an enormous number of off-type pelts being plac- ed upon the market durlng these last two years, WhlCli is evidence that the foxes are not being mated properly. The very best foxes will produce spurious offsprings if mated irrationally. One thing is quite cer- tain that the majority of fox breed- ers are not giving enough thought and attention to a systematic lnetli- 0d of mating. Therc are different reasons for this; one has it ready been mentioned. Many fox breeders appear to be quite satisfied if they can‘ get their‘ foxes mated. but on account of the wide use of colnmer- einl feeds many cannot even do that. Cases have been reported where fox ranchers have not been able to mate a single female with any of the males in their OWII rari- ches, and every female that came in heat had to be taken to other ranches to be mated. Other ranch-

? ers have a most vicious method of

mating their foxes. They r8110"- they mate females as soon as they show the first signs of being m heat, and then mate them up to another dog the next day, and still another dog on the third day. There is probably no other livestock in- dustry that would survive the haphazard methods of mallllg 115] that carried out in the silver fox- lndustryl. It is only befall-W 001l- itlg gives the opportunltyto imme- diately eliminate the misfits and by luck there happens to be sufficient fluke offspring t0 realvnlsll 111° breeding stock, that the industry has not gone to the wall long ago.

Many ranches I have visited an- nually during these last ten years have made a remarkable improve- ment in their breeding stock, yet they have no system whatever in muting their foxes. I have suggest‘- ed that it would well relllly l" Wm“ out some system and one replied. as far as they could sce they lniBlll» as well select their female pups by plgclng the numbers in a hat and draw also for the matings as going

their females mated tllvy d0 110l-

worry about anything else. Out oi l the six or seven hundred P1195 131°‘

duced annually there had always

been a sufficient number of fluke

results not only to maintain but

snghfly improve their brfledllll;

stock. Their salvation has been

breeding within their own breeding

stock.

Pd], Quality

1t has never been my contention

that the quality of the pelts PTO-t (lured nt the prcuent time is on a

m" with the improvement that lllcre has been in the breeding fox- ¢< while 1 have felt that I mus‘. I

oilscicntlously stale that from my l l A - tioiis there ivns nn 1mi>l'°1’*" oumvl‘ the general clns". 0f 11°55 ment Ind m recent ypms m com- p",‘{.‘.'.'f.§."..»itl. those of ten and twelve

en St.

THE CHARLOTTE [OWN GUARDIAN

hm». utuhblnl tutu of iuuri

ll arm union. and would not lat . agputAdeuperbu with pub, wt... 1

u. m now entiraig —John Juargenu, hill uny,0n|. ht ° "ml" ...'°.7"'..:."' "i I . o . IRnumot-ic palm. m

43'! (TIIIDIOIIWI Rlnuuulli Ounulu)

llllllMlll.

lllliBllNllllY

So far as Canada is concerned in the breeding of pigs there is a strong tendency to concentrate oll the bacon type. While this type 1S ilot confined exclusively to any one kind, some breeds lend themselves moreso than others to the produc- tion of the class of bacon mostly in demand.

"It ls true that the majority of farmers breed hogs for market. and so are not particular about regis- tration, though a pure-bred boar should always be used, asl he| is more certain to have this type flx- ed by several genenwons of care- ful breeding and, consequently, is lnuch more likely to give you more

uniform results than a grade.

be selected from large litters of

good uniform type, If this method ’

is followed, one certain in having large good bacon type hogs.

Farmers who are near a stock- yard for example may be able to purchase store pigs for feeding and finishing that will pay him some profit. bllt ordinarily it is better to breed your own pigs for feeding. In this way you can get hogs of a good quality and you can arrange the arrival of your litters to be fed off in six months and be market- able at a time when pork is likely to command the best prices. -

There are two periods in the year when hogs have usually had o. firm market and producers should aim to be ready for that market, and to be ready with hogs that have been fed so as to weigh ap- proximately 200 pounds when six months old. Feeding hogs until they are eight or nine months old in order to reach market weights means losing profits that belong to the big feeder. A hogs time ls worth a good deal when you are marketing him for pork. Keep him going every day.

The Canadian market for hogs is generally strong in August and September, and again in March and April. This ls not an lnviol- ate rule. and will vary to some ex- tent, but to plan for deliveryfabout these times has been a very good ruio of recent years.

To meet the August and Sep- tcnlbcr market it will be necessary to have pigs farrowed in February and March. This is early and they require more attention, but it is usually only thtfthings that re- qllire attention that pay dividends,

The March and April markets can be met by pigs farrowed m Svlltember and October. This is a good time for young pigs for winter feeding. Late lllv Spring mean also late the autumn, if you are breeding lwlvt‘ a year. so that the man who drops back in this business finds himself just about a. jump behind the top prices all the time.

Nolllllltl is more fatal to farin- lne than being behind with any farming operation. Keeping up with the procession is highly important to every nlnii making a living on the land.

Hogs are produced quickly, and farmers frequently fancy they gun get into them when the price is lligh and out when it drops. This is not good policy. uMEn who m. lllls lose wllcn going out, as it ls only when the price has dropped that they quit. unit they fail m llet in again in time to make tho profit on the rise in values,

‘It may pay to breed less exten- sively when hog prices begin going flown. bllt by 1lo means should a farmer go completely out, m; should always keep up a fair stock, so when values begin to Stine“

may be fairly litters of

litters in litters in

years go, yet 1 must more emphat- ically set forth that the quality of the pets coming uilio the market l5 “WHY below and no way near the standard of the breeding stock throughout the country, I am aim-e than doubly conscious that in re- cent months I have visited ranch- es where out of common decency l have forced myself to tell the own- crs that their breeding stock was down to such o. level that it was

an injustice to other fox breedersl

to breed an inferior type of foxes. but they are the exception rather than the rule, and repeatedly iii visiting the ranches I have been amazed at the general improvement in the breeding stock, and from the facts that I have seen and from those that have come to lily at- tention I cannot. begin in any way to condone \\‘|ill tile content on that the foxcs are golfing worse. I

l aln not the least surprised at the

clasl- of pelts that are being mar- keted at tile present time. Rccc.v- ing as I have recently nearly a score of foxes wltiiln a few days fronl two or three different ranch- es that have died after being led commercial feeds, how can any- thing else be expected? I have pre- viously mentioned the handicap fox breeders are wo-king under wlh regard to their food supply. Even' the very best. breeders are only us- ing half breeding methods, not to mention _ the general haphazard methods throughout the fox indus- try. which condlt ons will inevitably learl to a wholesale production of spurious and off type pelts from real good foxes on account of the fact that through a lack of the proper standards the fox breeders have fgflggL. to capo with their breed- ing problems. (To be Continued)

Pigs for breeding should always: erflble time‘

i

to arrive ,

TIIELY NOTES ON 1'

The report of C. M. Lampson 8a Company silver fox sale, December 16-22, 1e36, London, England, has. come to hand and. makes very in-l terest-ing reading. Some months ago this old and reliable flrin in-l corporated the fur department cf] Frederick Huth 8a Company to their own extensive undertakings. This removed a very aggressive and active fur consignment firm, but apparently it has not had a dam- aging efTect on the market, as both, the Hudson's Bay Company and‘ Lampsoifs sales for Decembcrlvcre strong, with approximately 00 pcrl cent of offerings sold with rising prices.

Lampsons say: “We catalogued; 21,143 skins and are pleased to re-l port a large attendance of buyersl and spirited competition for all‘ color phases, especially the fine- grades of clear, full-silvery andj three-quarter silvery, as well as I01“ the lower grades costing up to £0" each. It was noticeable that there . was a much better demand for t and quarter-silvery Kill than has existed for some consid- ‘

The quality and color were in average somewhat better than the previous seasons skins and we are pleased to report that over 90 pcr cent was sold. In average the of- fering sold at 714. per cent advance. In view of the strong demand still, existing, we anticipates. satisfac- tory sale of silver fox at the auc- tions to be field ln January."

Believing that nothing interests our readers more than the prices obtained for our products, the ivrit» er has gone to considerable trouble l to figure out Lalnpsons statemenll in dollars and cents, and here are; the results: BLACK 8c SLIGI-{Tl SILVERY-—560 ordinary skins were sold at an average of $23.75; 86 of a better quality were sold for an average of $27.75, and 8 se:ects' were sold for an average of $37.50 l . The highest price realized for this‘

class of skin was $45.

QUARTER SILVERY—1,075 brfl dlnary quality realized $29.75 av- erage; 205 good quality averaged $32.75; 6 selects brought an aver- age of $44. while the best specimen, of the lot realized $57.50.

____.

MEDIUM SILVERY—2.656 ord- inary quality averaged $32.25; 350, good quality brought $41.75 rtver-‘ age and 25 selects averaged $63.75.l The highest prlced_skiil in tilts lot realized $85.

THREE-QUARTER. SILVERY -I 4.734 ordinary - quality averaged,‘ $34.50; 1.456 good skins averaged $45.25. while 51 selects averagcdl $74.50. i

SILVERY-wr as we know lliem. pale silvers-3,344 ordinary averag- ed $36; 1,309 good quality averaged $52.50 and 121 selects averaged $76.50.

INFERIOR AND DAMAGED - No less than 3,113 or over one- slxth of the entire offering cattle, under this category. They aver- aged $18 each.

The total number of skins sold was 19,100 and these brought in Canadian dollars approximately $636,542 with the pound figured at $4.90. That would make the aver- age of the entire offering about

» CONNECTED lm-n Silver Fox Farming

, Lampson 8r. Co.

OPICS

4F$l

$33.32, from which would have to be deducted the commission for selling. If we disregard the infer- ior and damaged skins (total 3,113) and deduct the amount which they brought-from the grand total of the sale, we flnd that the other types averaged $36.66.

Later on in these notes you will find the results of the Hudson's, Bay Company sale which com- menccd in London on Wednesday morning last with an offering of over 30,000 skins, the largest that ha. ever been catalogued ill the his- tory of that Company. The retire- ment of Frederick Huth 6r. Com- pany means that the other auction houses will be called upon to mar- ket more skins and probably the‘ increase of over 5.000 skins in this , January sale of Hudsons Bayl Company compared with a year ago is due to that factor. We hope l so, rather than to an increase inl production and marketing oi’ silver fox furs. v

Next week will see acontinuance of sliver fox sales with C. M. and Anning s: Cobb doing the marketing. Lamp- son & Co. will handle a bigger quantity, with Annlng & Cobb no doubt getting a larger patronage than last year due to the division of Ruth's business.

From Winnipeg comes the fol- lowing by Canadian Press. The: figures are interesting as showing the relative quantities uI silver fox ‘ and mink farmed there and prices obtained last season.

WINNIPEG, Jan. 4—fCP)—Thou- ' sands of little_ dark brown animals running about in pens on Manitoba fur farms attested today to the be- lief of fur farmers that lliink soon will surpass silver fox in popularity and value.