from the Front Royal selection lines are included in

from the Front Royal selection lines are included in this year’s test. The winner of the growth contest has often been a calf from the growth selection lines in previous years. In fact, in the last seven years, only two bulls from outside breeders have been used in the Angus and Shorthorn growth selection lines, while 12 came from the Front Royal herd itself. It has been difficult to buy calves that are faster-growing than those produced in the Front Royal herd. On the other hand, the bulls used in the type selection lines most often come from the 10-15 purchased each year from breeders. In the same 7-year period, 10 out of 14 bulls used in the Angus and Shorthorn type selection lines have cotRe from outside breeders. Ken Bovard, animal geneticist at the station, says that this may be because pure bred breeders have selected for better conformation fox many more generations than they have for better-growth. Also Included in this'jo&ar's test are 34 inbred calves, produced by mating close rela tives. Three bulls from one Shorthorn line are gaining more than 2.78 pounds per day on this year’s test, despite more than 50 percent inbreeding. Two years ago their inbred brother was fastest gaining in the Shorthorn test. Outside calves this year came from Virginia Tech, Blacksburg; W. B. McSpadden, Chilhowie; Aluminum Company of America, Alcoa, Tenn Mill Run Farms, Warm Springs; Barterbrook Manor Farm, Stuarts Draft; H. H. Dice Farm, Warm Springs;