The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1889-01-02
WORK YOUR BULLS,
A Practice Whose Utility Has Never Been,
and Can Not BE, Questioned.

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While it may be that some dairymen
do not believe that the bull represents
one-half the breeding value of the
dairy herd, yet every well-infOrmed
one will confess to the great import
ance OF the bull in the herd. At
least he will admit so much that he is
willing to put up with the necessary
nuisance of having him to care for.
though it be at the imminent peril OF
some ones life.
1t then being conceded that the bull
must be kept for his services in the
herd, and that he is dangerous ami
NAL to have around. the next question
is how can he be kept so as to remove
this danger as far as possible. We
regret to say the rule now is to get a
young scrub and let him run with the
cows in the pasture, and club him into
submission whenever he attempts to
show his unruly nature. This practice
is neither profitable nor pleasant.
With blooded animals the rule is to
have a separate yard for the bull, who
is usually too valuable in dollars and
cents to make it profitable to club him
very much. This separate yard is
usually fenced round with expensive
boards high enough to screen the bull
from all observers, though of latter
days it is becoming the practice to
make the fence of barbed wire, which,
| it is said, the bull soon learns to re-
spect.
A far more sensible plan than any of
the above is to keep him in the stable
and work him regularly. 1t requires
no collection of statistics to prove that
potency in the male can only be kept at
a high standard by giving sufficient
exercise, and it is needless to remark
that this exercise is never taken in
sufficient quantities by the bull while
in confinement. The result is that
nearly all blOoded bulls lose their use.
iulness much sooner than they should.
To lead the bull around by staff is q
tedious and expensive operation, and
not to use the staff is always danger
Gus. Even when he is worked regu-
larly and sufficiently he is apt to be-
come dangerous at times if there are
COWS about, and for this reason he
should always be handled with staff,
and should have at least the tips of his
horns sawed off If the owner is nom
believer in full dehorning, which we
would recommend.
The practice of working bulls has
been in vogue in Europe so long that
its utility can not be questioned even
by those who are accustomed to PAM
pering the males of all breeds. Just
how this should be done depends upon
the immediate necessities of the dairy
farm. Probably the best place to work
him is in a sweep power that has to do
the grinding, fodder-cutting, pumping,
churning. grindstone turning or any
other work that such power is needed
for. The only trouble is that he is
usually too slow for some of these pur'
poses, though for churning, pumping
and the grindstone this objection does
not lie. As for working him in the
cart, we are not altogether prepared to
recommend the practice. II there is a
stout and intelligent man to drive him.
we'll and good; but such a man would
be very unprofitably employed at such
job. while it will not do to trust a
bull with boy. In the sweep power
he can be handled by boys, but not in
cart. In tread power we do not
think he would be quick enough to get
any profitable work out of it without
killing him. II he could be worked on
the of side with an old OK that would
keep him under control. then boy
might do 70 handle them. These are
merely suggestions that each farmer
can take into consideration, and apply
them best as they suit the peculiarities
eff his dairy farm. But the bull should
be worked if it is possible to do il
without toe great a tax on the time OF
the hands. American Ddirymdn.
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