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A study of nicking in Jersey cattle

Dept. of Dairy Husbandry, University of New Hampshire
Dept. of Dairy Husbandry, New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station
American Jersey Cattle Club

ABSTRACT

"Nicking" has been the subject of considerable discussion, among breeders for many years. Generally speaking, this term is applied to those cases where the progeny from certain matings appear superior to those from other matings of the same animal or families. Webster defines nicking as follows: "In stock breeding, to combine well."

Breeders are constantly seeking to improve both type and production. In doing so they try different outcross matings, linebred matings, and inbred matings, hoping to purify or intensify desirable qualities. When one of these types of matings appears superior to the others it is said to "nick."

This factor of superior progeny has been noticed in other types of livestock. In Herefords it is a recognized fact that when Anxiety IV was mated to daughters of North Pole, the resulting progeny were much superior to those of other matings. In Standard Bred horses the crossing of the descendants of Peter the Great with those of Axworthy has given such superior, uniform progeny that it is known as the Golden Cross.