Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1908-12-30

1t would be better if this could be
carried back four generations, to be
sure that thepe, is no inferior animal
in the pedigree and that all animals
mentioned in the pedigree should he
as uniform as possible. A mistake is
often made of breeding two animals
of widely different characteristics
with the hopes of combining the de-
sirable qualities of both. Even if the
result was accomplished in the first
generation, the succeeding genera
tions would be liable to show a large
number of inferior animals. When
grade calves are to be used to found
herd they should be selected for
individual merit and the qualities of
the sire, as all improvement in the
breeding of grade herds must come
through the sire, which must be the
best animal that can be obtained, and
pure-bred.
The selection of the cows to found
dairy herd should be based on their
past performances. The Babcocl1 test
and the scales will give very good
idea of what can be expected of them
under the conditions in which they
have been kept. If the environment
is improved, an improvement in pro-
duction can be expected If no past
record of the animal can be obtined,
1t will be necessary TO make the Sc
lection on individual merit. When the
herd is composed of grades this is
likely to -be the case, and if the Sc
lections are carefully made by good
judge. the results are likely to be
satisfactory; but authentic records
should always be obtained when pos
sible.
By far the most important factor
in the breeding up of dairy herd is
the sire. He should be of breed
best suited to the conditions and re-
quirements of the herd If the herd
is small and a first-class sire is in
the neighborhood it might be cheap
er to hire the bull than to Duy one
outright. II the bull must be pur-
chased, too much care cannot be used
in his selection. Should the herd be
composed of young COWS they should
be mated with mature bull, but a
mature COW that has a record for
breeding may be mated with Il young
bull and the result of the. cross noted,
although a tested sire should be used
when possible. Many bulls that have
good breeding qualities are disposed
of each year and their places filled by
young and untestde males. A
farmer is often able to buy bull
that has proven his ability as a sire
cheaply or more cheaply or more
cheaply than calf of superior par
ents would be sold for.
The selection of the young females
to maintain and increase the herd re-
quires careful consideration on the,
pnre-bred one, the Sire being The
same strain, and very. much like the
females, the offspring will be fairly
uniform and the calves from the best
producers can be selected, unless
they show some physical weakness or
other reason for not being taken in
to the herd. When the herd is to be
composed of grade animals the sire
should be pure-bred, and If possible
the selection of the females to maln-
| tain the herd should be made when
they are old enuogh to he tested, and
| the selection made of their Individual
merits. When it is necessary to Sc
lect the females before they can be
tested they should be from dams that
respond the quickest to the changed
environment of the herd.
If number of COWS are placed i'll
letter environment the calves should
be selected from the COWS that show
the greatest increase because of the
better conditions. The bull will be
i likely to be most prepotent over the
4 females which respond the most read
lily to changed environment. The most
Improvement can be expected in the
first generation, as there are likely to
be many reversions in the second
| generation, some being much better
than their dams and some much poor
er. BY this time the offspring of the
best producing females can be Sc
lected for the herd, as line of breed
ing will have been established. If the
bull produces offspring that are uni
$ form, strong and vigorous, he can be
2 safely bred to his own daughters, a.
S Iinbreeding is the greatest factor il
preventing reversions, but if anothe
bull must be procured he should b'
+ related to the old one and resemhl
e him as much as possible.
u However, no matter what atteptio
u is paid to the breeding Of herd /
IS all lost unless the feeding and car
of the herd are what they should be
no amount of breeding can take tn
> place of careful and regular feeding
y pure water and sanitary stables. Th
u results of careful breeding and sele'
y ton are soon lost by the farmer VIII
y does not givehis stock the care tha
u has raised it to its high standard
ls First prize essay in New York Stat
Fair contest, by G. o. Carman.
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