Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1869-03-26
IN the summer, after the time OF wear has


calves. These, having reached an age
when they require more care ana arc
more expensive TO keep than calves arc
sold for small price, and slaughtered.
The calf which is selected to be raised is
usually the one the butcher will not buy.
This is not always the case, but it is very
rare that bull is raised because his
mother was famous mixer, or for any
real or faueied superiority.
This state of things prevails extensive
ly. Farmers argue that they only need
bull in order to get fresh cows; that the
calves are of no value to them; that they
rarely raise their heiier calves; hence i,
makes no difference 10 them what sort of
bull they have. The stock OF every dairy
region is, 10 considerable extent, sup
p!ied from its own herds. There are COM
paratiyely few sections where It does not
pay to raise veal, at least until 1t is four
weeks old. The use of thoroughbred
bull. not even excepting the Jersey, will
greatly increase the size and value OF the
veal Besides. however strange 1t may
seem. il is true that thoroughbred bulls
even Of breeds not famous mixers, get
heifer calves which are likely to become
great mixers. The use ofsuch immature
sires has. according 10 al observation and
analogical reasoning. bad effect upon
the system and functions oftheir progeny.
We therefore have small cows, better cal
culated to eat and drink than to give milk,
or to law on flesh and fat There is no
greater reason why any good animal
should come of such sires, than that
vine should bear figs. This state of things
will continue rs long a our milk raiSers
persist in using scrub bulls.
The use of thoroughbred sircs for beef
is pretty well appreciated, and in the beef
raising districts Short Horns predominant,
and the great mass of beef which comes
from the West bears marks OF this blood
20 n greater or less extent The advan-
tage to dairy and milk farmers is quite As
real as To beef raisers. The farmer who
buys thoroughbred bull, and before his
heifer calves mature exchanges him with
neighbor for one Of the same breed and
thus every second year makes change,
breeding ALWAYS from bulls not less than
three. and ii possible four or five years
old. will have the satisfaction OF seeing
great changes in his herd and in the
profits of his dairy No intelligent far
mer should Use scrub or grade bull fine
can helpit. The temptation to raise grade
bull calves is often too grcatto be resisted
They are very large and handsome, they
NAV have come of iayorite COWS. and the
farmer feels SURF that il size and beauty
are worth anything in bull, he will do
well To raise such one. The bull comes
10 maturity. handsomerthanh his thorough
bred sire. perhaps nevertheless the prob
abilities arc, that the stock OF his getting
will Toe little If any better. than that Of al
cut and-out scrub.
Prof. Vcrrill in his Lectures on the
Laws Of Reproduction in Cattle" draws
some practical &C lclusions that are
worthy the attention Of every one. Space
and time will only allow me 10 make a
fcw brief extracts After giving his
reasons. he says: Hence only healthy
and vigorous females should De used for
breeding purposes, and they should be in
the prime of life-not too young or too
old 1T i equally important that the
male should be perfectly healthy and
sound. and free from sll constitutional
and hereditary diseases oiimperfections.
The erc,S>ir, use of the male for breed
ing purposes, i TO be carefully avoided
In speaking Of abortion in COWS, which is
very common thing in some portions of
New York, lac SAYS: doubtless one of
the principal causes of this disease, is the
employment Of inferior males. or those
that have been so oyertaNed by excess Is
to weaken the reproductive organs
One thing more may perhaps properly
belong to this topic aud that is the faint
ing OF the mothers blood, or the inhu-
ence of the first conception on the after
progeny. What | mean by this is. if YOU
have a Jersey heiier, and wish only TO
Get the milk, You put her to n scrub bull
oi no known breed. and get what YOU
want. viz milk. If YOU should after
wards wish to get thoroughbred calf,
the probability is. YOU would make a
failure, as her aAer progeny would par
take in a greater or less degree the quail
tiles of that first conception. The same
thing has been observed in the horse, the
sheep and the dog. But as this subject
viii probably be treated ut length by
others during the Farmers Convention,
leave it in their hands, only saving to
YOU. if You wish TO breed thorough
breds. OF whatever class of animals, do
not attempt to breed anything else in
connection with them, if you do not
wish them 10 degenerate.
After all this array of testimony which
| have presented to you, in which more
than three-foUrths of our most celebra-
ted animals are proved to be from fully
developed parents, is it not reasonable TO
conclude that the only sure way 10 inn
/ prove the different breeds of our domestic
anirnnls i IN use only snch and snch fnr