Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-05-13
Raise the Heifer Calves.
Country Gentleman.

Not all heifer calves, perhaps, shOuldb
spared the block, but certain of the best
from certain line of COWS. There are
many common COWS which have more than
common traits as mixers and breeders.
Do not let US get too high ideas on this
question of improved stock for the GEM
mon farmer. There is good stock among
the native breeds, so called, and this stock
can be improved by judicioUs selection
and breeding.
If a common COW has the mark of a
good mixer, or otherwise proves herself
possessed of meritOriOus traits, it is wis
dom to breed from her by as good a sire
as can be found of the class of stock she
is apparently adapted to rank in. Whether
her calf will inherit her good qualities,
time alone will davelOp. If she is good
mixer and butter COW, the chances are, if
bred Alright, that her heifer calves will be
an Improvement, in this respect, on their
mother. If they are, and are bred in the
same line as to improvement, the chances
become more favorable that an improve
ment will be constant. 1t is here that the
value of improved pedigreed stock proves
the greatest. It's characteristics are fixed,
and will be reproduced. The same ten
dency is strengthened in a proper course
of breeding in our common stock. 1t
may be proper, also, to remark here
where the value of a registered pedigree
is apparent. The fact that a book con-
tains the brief statement of the ancestors
of an animal is nothing of itself. But
the fact that it tells that an animal has
certainly come from a long line of ances-
tors, which have regularly transmitted
their characteristics, in everything, for it
,o4 oh hot 4bo 81
sesses the family characteristics to a
greater or less degree, but that it in turn
viii be able to transmit them. The COM
mon cow may reproduce herself, and she
may not The purely bred COW will be
very likely to reproduce herself, with pos
slble slight variation, under proper breed
ing.
In many instances farmers are too
prone to send their heifer calves to the
SHAMELESS at ordinary prices. Cows bought
cheaply are usually esteemed cheaply, and
oftener than at their real worth. Cows
bought instead of raised for the dairy up
on the farm, break up the possible line of
improvement of which [ have been talk
ing. Haphazard obtained COWS for the
dairy involve haphazard course of man
agement, and both combined lead to fail
ure, because let US do our best, there is
still an almost limitless beyond for i'm
prOvement.
This is a true economy which makes
the most of what we have. Dairying is
good for the farm and farmer. To run
dairy takes COWS as well as human hands.
Both need the aid of science to bring
them up to their best attainments. The
COW raised upon the farm is likely to
possess characteristics better suited to
the farm than those purchased.
We can not all buy bloOded stock to run
our diaries, even if it were desirable; but
we could improve on what we already
have. The avenues to improvement are
open all around US to improve our stock.
of what ever class, at slight expense, COM
paratively. In the matter of our bovines,
let US save our promising heifer calves,
and make such Improvement in them that
their grandmOthers won't know them.