The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-07-21

ctpIeS IN the SelectlnS Oh Slres
Disposition Among Some
breeders Is to- Put Up With n
Second-CIass Article When
First-CIass Is Available.
The majority of men who engage in the
breeding of live stock apt to be 'sot in
their ways some point, and when they
are right, they can not be too firmly "sot."
There is always a disposition among some
people of less decision of character to take
up with a second best article when in reality
the 1rsI-class thing is equally available. There
is no economy in taking the inferior when
one can, without any appreciable outlay, ac-
quire the superior. The following from
Hoard's Dairyman bears directly upon this
question generally and upon the proper kind
of bulls to be used in propagation of cattle
in particular
A Texas man wrote to the editor of the
Southern Farm Gazette asking him why he
continually recommended the use of register
ed bulls, when grade animals were so much
cheaper and easy to procure: 1t is, oil course
stood of the science of breeding. 1t is the
easiest thing in the world for farmer to be
short-sighted right here in the interest of
wrong iaea Of economy. But the editor answer
ed him so well, and put principles right where
they belong, that print his reply in full.
The answer was given in regard to breed
ing for beef, but the principle is the same.
whether we breed for Improvement in beef
or milk
The editor of the Southern Farm Gazette
has probably given this matter much
thought the writer of the above, and,
after Weighing all the arguments given In
favor of the grade bull" he has no hesita-
ton in saying that he would rather have
very poor thoroughbred than a good grade"
fer breeding purposes When a grade bull
is bred to a native COW, the pure blood is
in a minority, as it We're, and cannot
sert itself in perpetuating the good qualities
hn hr a1 haDf innn1 Tla
of pure blood in the progeny is never more
than the sum of that in sire and dam divided
Dy Two nenee' improvement ROY, is SLOW when
neither parent is full blood. In fact. the
scrub or native blood will assert itself to
such an extent that improvement is not only
slow, but extremely uncertain.
- IN breeding, "lnr I'D maxim of the half q
loaf, etc." won't apply. Calf az steer
that will lose money for its owner and
the Southern Farm Gazette stands unequ1v-
ocally Cor the thoroughbred male, in all
cases and does not believe that it is doing
harm by the advocacy Of thoroughbred bulls
In preference to grades. that quite
likely TO be scrubs, if not more so. Better
grade than scrub. but better none at
all. unless he is a fairly good thoroughbred
OF course, this applies. only to males, or ami
mails used for the purpose Of improving the
herd. Life is too short and competition too
sharp to either try to grade up herd with
out a pure-bred male, feed scrubs when
the value of GOOD (well-bred) stock Is so
apparent and they are easy to acquires
Nc neighborhood is SO poor that it cannot
afford 9ure-bred beef bull.
This seems to embody a correct principle
and the truth is bluntly stated. If the pur-
pose of the farmer Is to get the best, let
him begin with the thoroughbred and con-
tinue on that line to the end. The practice
will prove economical when the profit and
loss account comes to be made up.
Some observations have recently been
made in this column regarding the Short
horn COW as beef well milk pro-
Queer, attention being at the same time
called to the historical fact that the Short
horn was once valued on its native heath for
its milking qualities. There is no doubt a
hereditary milk st ain exists among this we'll
recognized beef family and that in the pro-
gress of time it was neglected in the interest
of the meaty tendencies of the species.
There are many theorists, and they are IN
creasing in numbers, who maintain that the
Shorthorn is, after all, the best AL pur-
pose" species of cattle in existence, that
is likely soon to be found. The following
from the Breeders Gazette, is interesting for
its tendency to advance that belief
The general-purpose cow is a myth" we
are wisely informed by certain gentlemen
who have specialized themselves to the
point of perfect blindness as to the eXiS-
tence of any other than the dairy type, but
1t Is interesting to observe that the cham
pion Shorthorn cow at the recent royal show
as a dairy cow last spring in a big dairy
show. Her width of top and Ter wealth Of
flesh are most striking" is the comment Of
the show-yard critic, and We: she has won
in a dairy-cow competition. But such facts
never please your genuine specialized the
Orist; he cheerfuly closes his eyes to them
and proceeds with tie elucida-ion OF his
theory that beef and milk cannot be COM
bined in a profitable degTee in one animal.
WINTER SHEEP FEEDING.
The prospects are there will will. be big
demand for feeding sheep this coming fall.
Already strong inquiry has sprung up in
the East which is a strong indication that
farmers in the Alepheny region are short
Reliable information also comes from Onio
that a good many stock sheep will be needed
in that state, and probably quite as many
will be forwarded last year. Feeder buy
have by no means been idle on the range
good many contracts have been made in
the far West notwihs anding the fact that
sheep raisers are holding their prices up.
Sheep are good property now, and about every
body realizes II. Ranchmen are feeling more
independent than they have for years.
Drovers' Journal.