Graham guardian., 1908-05-22
How to Improve Your Herd

to get better cows. The answe'
is not always forthcoming. 1t i
easier to ask questions than il is ,o
give correct answers There is a
mine Of truth in the old say ing
"Any fool can ask questions, but it
takes u wise man to answer
them" So in the matter of working
up to q better standard in dairy
ing, we all want to get about us
better cows. Ii would be almost
impossible to find farmer who
does not say in bis heart "l wish
l bad some better cows" How
shall he do it,
Quite by chance | came IN con.
tact with a man who has successful
ly solved this problem. While i, is
true that conditions vary so much
that not every man can.in all re-
spects follow the advice or the
example of u fellow farmer, it is
nevertheless true that there are
many suggestions in what he said
to me that may be made available
by every ambitious farmer. With
out taking the time to tell the
whole story, l will epitomize the
hints given ny my friend, the sue
cessful dairyman farmer.
Begin right where you are. That
is, do not make sweeping changes,
like selling off all your stock, so
that you must start at the very
bottom, as you did when you be
gan life. Take the herd you now
have. Make it the foundation for
the herd that is to be. No collec
ton of cows is so good or so bad
that it may not be made better by
work and careful study Both
work and study are essential to
success. The man who has come
to the point where he has made
up his mind to apply himself earn
estly to learning all be can about
cows, and has the determination
to put all the knowledge he can
get to the best advantage, has
taken a long step toward success.
Again, do not think you are too
old to begin. Life is long to the
man who makes the most Of what
ever time may lie before him.
Years do not mark time in dairy.
farming any more than they do in
making history of any other kind.
The thing to do IS to start. Once
more: The head of every herd is
the sire. No matter what you may
have in that line, get something
better, aud do il right away. Ycu
may think you have pretty good
sire. Do not let pride stand in
your way. look about you until
you find something that is just as
much better as you possibly can
get. One thing that has kept our
dairy intercsts in this country at
the low ebb they have st cd AT for
many years . the tendency to use
poor sires. The way OF progress
IS upward. Keep the eyes thai
way.
1t takes genuine courage to take
hard earned money that may have
been laid away for the stormy
time we 80 often expect will over.
take us and invest it in u calf, es
pecially when that calf costs good
deal. This is matter of educa
tion with most men. 1t does come
hard often TO ses so much money
go for calf. We never have re
ceived more than $40 or Sl2 our
selves for calf, and that only
from some meat man. And it al
most takes our breath away to
have man tell us that he must
have two or three times that
amount for calf no larger or older
than those we have let go. Never
mind that. The day will come
when you will be glad you paid all
you did. No man ever regretted
buying a good thing, even if be
did have to scrimp a little in the
beginning.
With this start make it your
business to save the best calves
from your sire and from your best
cows. Not those that look best
or those you like best, but those
that have actually proved by the
milkpail and by the test that they
are best. This may cause some
little study aud lrouble. Never
mind that. Have every COW tested
by some reliable man. Then save
the calves from the best cows.
Turn off the poor cows as fast as
you have something better to put
IN their places. You are now on
the high road to success. A little
more time, bit more patience
and wai,ing, and you will be in
the winning list. Meanwhile, if
you have chance to buy choice
COW out of the herd of some neigh
Dor, or if you have the money to
spare, go to some reliable dealer
in the kind of stock you like best
and buy now and the a nice COW.
This will hurry the matter of sue,
cess a little.
Shape all your plans TO DO ready
for success when it comes. Build
the best buildings you can, have