Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1876-01-06
STOCK RAISING G..
BULLS.

glad to improve their stock, yet VINO 90 hot
feel able to buy thoroughbred animals.
There are Others, who have the means ana
who are lust as anxious for Improvement,
but do not believe it would pay to buy thor
oughdred cows. 1t seems to me hat each
of these classes might improve their stock
by taking their best cows to Thoroughbred
bulls. This would involve very little eN-
pense and would be certain to pay. Ii the
services of a scrub bull can be had tor flfty
cents and those of a thoroughbred for three
dollars, there ought to be no question to the
mind of any intelligent farmer as to Whicl
one to take his COWS. There is only TWO
dollars and fifty cents difference per COW III
the expense. If she has a heifer cali, IL Will
probably be worth keeping for dairy pur-
poses, as much again as one from a SCRUB
If she has a bull calf, it will be worth for
veal several dollars more than the SCRUB
stock while for steers or working oxen,
the calves from a thoroughbred bull are
worth a great deal more than those from ma
tive stock.
I do not believe it will pay ordinary farm
ers to buy thoroughbred COWS at the prices
which they now command, but am conf
dent that it would pay them well to secure
the services of thoroughbred bulls. These
animals are now SO plenty that they can be
bought much cheaper than cows. In many
sections bulls of first class stock can be had
at very reasonable prices. And in q COM
munity where no single farmer feels able to
buy a thoroughbred, two or three neighbors
might club together and buy one IN COM
pany. The first cost would be small, and
he could probably let for enough to pay for
his keeping and any depreciation in value
which might occur, so that his owners
would improve their stock without much, II
any expense.
AS there are some men who object to ev-
cry thing which is said by any one but
themselves, there will doubtless be a few
who will say that the improvement OF stock
simply by the use of thoroughbred bulls is a
matter of theory and not of fact. To such
men i would say compare the stock or
thoroughbred bulls and native cows with
that Of the native stock and see which is the
most valuable. i would also call their atten-
ton to the report of a writer in a late Ohio
Farmer, who says that a certain farmer of
his acquaintance obtained a thoroughbred
Shorthorn bull from superior milking stock,
and charged three dollars to insure. Some
Of his neighbors patronized him, While 9TH
crs who were unwilling to pay SO high q
price took their cows to the scrubs. The
latter probably saved two dollars and q half
on each cow. But the calves of the the
thoroughbred sold at one year old for ore
than the natives braught when three years
old. Such instances might be multipliedln-
definitely. One of my %neighbors has a
heifer calf from a very good, though not an
extra COW, and very fine thoroughbred
bull, for which he was offered fifty dollars
at an age when a heifer Gulf from that COW
and an ordinary bull would not have
brought twenty dollars. Comments upon
such instances are needless. None but the
willfully blind can help seeing the improve
ment which results from the use of thor
ouahbred bulls with our native stock. One
word in regard to the selection of a thor
oughhred bull. 1t should be made with
special reference to the wants Of the owner
and the style Of improvement Which he de-
sires. Ifhe sells milk, an Ayrshire or Hol-
stein will probably be the best to cross With
his stock il he sells butter, the Jerseys; if
lie wants working oxen, the Devons While
for steers, oxen or COWS for beef, or for gen
crai purposes, the Shorthorns will be all
that can possibly be d~esired.-Lipe Stock
journal.