This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Arthur Rivoire)
Hi Steve,
>Carol,
> That was my point in replying to your post. Namely that it isn't
>clear to me (it still isn't, even after this post) how your
>statements about the European breeding systems being positive, and
>Von Bon's comments you repeated about declining stallion "strength"
>are anything but contradictory.
> Will you clarify this for us?
I'll try. First of all, Steve, Van Bon never said anything about a general
"declining of stallion strength." What he did say was (and I don't
remember his exact words), but the gist of it was - "There are fewer really
strong stallions like Gjest and Myrstein these days."
This was one person's thought . . . maybe his personal opinion. Maybe he's
wrong in this perception. Maybe he's right. Maybe the truth is that
stallions like Gjest and Myrstein are exceptional individuals, and would be
rare in any time. However, what I interpreted from his comments was that
there were more of that type of stallion in the old days.
Let's just say, for argument's sake, this is a fact. That today's breeding
stallions, overall, (meaning in all Fjord countries) aren't as strong as 50
years ago. How would a Studbook (breed registry) know this?
They'd know because the Studbook owns the stallions, and administers their
keep, handling, and breeding. The Studbook tests, and keeps records on
fertility, libido, performance, longevity & health. Records are also kept
for offspring; for example - conformation evaluations, performance,
health, longevity & reproduction. All of these things reflect back on the
stallions, for better or worse.
It's an efficient system able to stay on top of any changes in the breed.
In my opinion, there's everything positive, and nothing negative about a
breed registry being so experienced, knowledgeable, and aware that they're
able to spot small problems, and take steps to fix them before they get to
be big problems.
So, that's the best I can do to clarify. A strong breed registry with a
system designed to encourage quality breeding, and weed out inferior
quality is obviously better than a registry without such a system.
My intention was to provoke a discussion on the subject of safeguarding
the breed, and to make people aware that for us in North America, the job
is harder as we don't have as many controls over quality as they do in
Europe.
However, we do have some controls, thank goodness. The NFHR's rule on
cross-breeding, DNA testing, inspection of stallion's teeth and testicles,
and the fledgling Evaluations. All this is good, but in my opinion, more
would be better.
Regards, Carol
Carol and Arthur Rivoire
Beaver Dam Farm Fjords II
R.R. 7 Pomquet
Antigonish County
Nova Scotia
B2G 2L4
902 386 2304
http://www3.ns.sympatico.ca/beaverdf
