The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1907-03-15
How to Improve Dairy Herds,
Oh. B. Young.)

How to improve our dairy herds is
big subject and I will only call atten"
ton to what I consider some of the
most important things we should en-
deavor to do.
First of all, as we all know, or at
least have been told many times, the
herd bull is half of the herd. So it
goes without saying that the herd bull
should be the very best we can procure
If you have an inferior animal at the
head of your herd don't hesitate to
sacrifice him at any price and procure
at once a bull of merit. Get a good in
divdiual, as nearly perfect dairy type
as possible, but not only this alone, but
see that his sire is from a good, rich
milking strain and that his dam and
grand-dam both have a good record, and
when you find what suits you, buy him
at any price within your means.
With a good bull at the head of your
herd. commence wedding out the poor
COWS, and the best way to do 1t is to
use the scales and test each cows milk
It is a whole lot of trouble, but it is
the only sure way. Have your milk
sheet and scales right in the room and
keep a daily record, so that you will
know exactly what each COW is doing,
and when you find cow that is not
paying her way and making profit, cut
her out and do it quick.
With a good bull and good bunch of
COWS you can improve your herd by
paying special attention to the raising
of the heifer calves, and they should
have special attention from the begin
ming of their career. Each calf should
be fed it's milk separate from the bunch.
If you WANT a scrubby lot of calves feed
them their milk all together and let
them suck each others ears for half
hour or so, and you will find out you
have trouble on your hands. To have
a nice bunch of thrifty calves, give
them warm milk just fresh from the
COW and separator; get it to them as
quickly as possible after milking.
While in Ohio last summer I visited
an up-to-date breeder Of Jerseys, and
never saw such a thrifty and fine look
ing bunch of calves, and 1 asked the
owner how he managed to keep them
looking so fine, and received such in
formation as I have herein stated.
No matter how good a sire you have
and if the dam of the calf has big
butter test, you can't possibly hope for
an Improvement in your herd unless
you give this calf the very best care
and it should be kept growing until 1t
reaches maturity, and nine times out
of ten you will have a good COW, and
a credit to your herd
Another most important factor in i'm
proving our dairy herds, is to feed
balanced ration and lots Of it. Why did
the COWS in the DAIRY Cow Demon
stration' at st. Louis make such a
phenomenal record? It was not the good
COW alone, but it was the good care and
the good feeding, and variety An
abundance Of bright alfalfa hay, with
goodly supply Of corn and oats, rightly
fed, goes a long ways toward 1mprov-
ing our dairy herds.
Another way to keep up and improve
the standard of our herds, and in which
the majority Of US fail, is this When
we get good herd bull, one that has
proven himself a good sire, he should
be kept in the herd. Be in no hurry
to sacrifice such an animal. Breed him
to large healthy cows, and 1t will surely
increase the size Of our dairy cows, and
give them a greater constitution and
more vigor, and that is what makes
good dairy COW. She must have ca