Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1879-03-01

Island cattle The Ayrshire does not
grow in favor. With warm friends who
incline to the breed, it must be ad-
mitted that il has not reached the pOpu-
larity which was expected. The Hol-
stein is favorite, in some sections of
the West especially. Undoubtedly
many of the cows of the breed produce
very large quantities of milk. They are
not good beef-producers. The Jersey is
one Of the most popular breeds, and un-
questionably deserves the reputation of
giving unusually rich milk. l like tce
Jersey much, but do not believe it is
the basis from which to breed dairy
cows for the West. The most widely
known and by far the most common of
the pure breeds of cattle in the West is
the Short-Horn generally bred with
special reference TO beef-production
alone. The reputation Of the breed has
Justly suffered so far IS milk-production
is concerned, yet there are few better
dairy cows than are to be found in this
breed, and it has had more TO do with
improving the 'common" COWS of the
West than all others combined. If we
accept the view that the average dairy
COW should be fairly adopted for beef
when, because of accident, or age, or
failure TO breed, it is desired to dispose
of her, there is no breed better fitted for
producing cows than is the Short-Horn.
1t is for each breeder to decide what his
aim shall be; when decided, he should
work on well-fixed plan. 1t will not
1 he. 10 .rrx- IN
cross in succession a half-dozen breeds,
simply because each has merit as a dairy
breed.
! In any event, the very large majority
of all the cows bred for dairy purposes
during the next ten years will have for
their dams "common" or grade COWS.
If care be taken in selecting these dams,
it need not be regretted that they are
not pure bred Among the so-called
common" cows in the dairy regions of
the West are to be found many which
are equals of the average breed of cows
in the world. When any collection of
animals have the ability TO uniformly
transmit their distinctive characteristics
to they offspring, they may properly be
called breed. Wevalue squire bred"
animals because we have evidence that
they have been bred for successive gen
erations with the same characteristics
in view. We value authentic pedigrees,
because these give us evidence on this
point, and we feel the more certain that
the character possessed will be trans
mitted. Intelligent, skillful breeders
among Western dairymen, by careful
selection and careful breeding, have
produced many cows, not ranked as
sspure-bred, which possess, in good de-
gree, the final tests of value and good
Individual merit, and ability
to transmit this to the offspring.
| Having decided what is wanted, the
next step will be the selection of the
cow from which to breed; and, wheth-
er of one of the improved breeds or Of
common stock, the first question is,
What is her individual merit? No breed
is perfect; none is free. from poor ami
mails The ultimate test of the value
of breed or family IS the
usefulness Of the animals composing it.
Better breed from good COW with 4
good pedigree. The characteristics OF
the parents will much more probably be
transmitted than will the characters les
of more remote ancestors. But the
value of good COW, for breeding, is
very greatly increased if it be known
that she has inherited her qualities
through long line of good ancestors.
Hence the second question should be,
What is her breedingf The selection OF
the sire is, ordinarily, even more inn
portant. Excellence or inferiority as
milk producers can be transmitted
through the male as well as through the
female, and, in most cases, the bull is
the sire of many calves, while the COW
produces but one annually. Here the
great question is the breeding. There
are "signs -" Of value, not arbitrary
ones but indications in form and minor