The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1911-04-20
BUILDING UP A DAIRY HE'D
In Order to Make Industry PsofitaEl
Low Producing Animal Must
Be Eliminated.
(By q. L. MARTIN.)

n Aao popularity VI lHe udlTy COW VIZ
never keener In the northwest than a
the present time. This is due some
what to the partial failure of the grail
crop the past year, together with the
prevailing high prices for dairy prod
ucts and the quick continuous returns
which this industry insures.
The average COW found on the farm:
throughout the northwest is largely OF
the scrub type. A great many Of these
have descended from the beef types
OF cattle that prevailed on the ranges
previous to the period of settlement
AS result the common COW is not
we'll adapted to meet the needs under
the present conditions. Because OF
tho high price Of feeds and labor the
cow that returns but 5000 or 5000
pounds of milk per year is no longer
profitable, 30 the low producing COW
must DO detected and eliminated in
order to make the dairy herd profta-
BILE.
For the average farmer It Is not ad-
visable to buy expensive purs-brsd
cows. The fact that COW Is pure
bred does not necessarily make her 4
profitable animal. There are great
many registered animals that are
worse than scrubs. Likewise there
are many grade cows that are high
producers. so the only reliable way Is
for each farmer to test his own cows
periodically or belong to testing as
ISOLATION. This is the only practical
way to detect the "boarders" and raise
the standard of the herd.
The most economical and practical
way to build up a dairy herd is to start
with the common cows and use pure
bred sire of some recognized dairy
breed. Where farmer attempts to
build up herd by purchasing pure
bred cows he usually finds it rather ex-
pensive and unsatisfactory. Every
breeder Of dairy cattle is endeavoring
to build up his herd by cutting out his
poorest cows and keeping the best
ones as foundation for his herd. Often
where one attempts to purchase pure
bred cows he pays high prices for the
poorest animals upon the reputation
sustained by the best individuals in
the herd
The most reliable way for the aver
age farmer to do is to begin with the
cows already on hand, Gull out the I'M
profitable ones and keep the heifer
calves from the best ones as a founda- |
ton for his herd. BY using the milk &!
scales, tester and record book, it may
easily be determined the quantity Of
food each animal consumes, the
amount of milk returned and test
for the same. The profitable COW
quite often is not the best looking ami
NAL, but the one that has the inherent ,
ability to utilize her food to the best /
advantage and bring the largest re-
turns. The same thing holds true with |
COWS as with other animals Two race
horses may look exactly alike, eat the /
same amount Of food and receive like
care, but the only way to determine
which is the superior animal Is by use
of the stop watch. Results are what
count, whether 1t be on the race track
or in the milk pail.
The Importance Of using a good sire
cannot be over-estimated It has been
said 1.-The sire is half the herd" A
good one is even more, since the first
cross imparts to the offspring half tho
of the sire, the second
cross three-fourths, etc. The best au-
.horities on breeding agree that a sire
by virtue Of having long line of
back of him will stamp his
more firmly upon the
offspring, heuce the advisability of
having pure-bred animal. Many good
herds are being built up in this way
Ill over the country. and quite often :
he grade cows prove to be superior to I
he pure-breds as profitable milk pro-
ulcers.
The principal drawback for most
armers in improving the dairy herd
S the lack Of a record Of what zach
'ow Is doing. In too many herds COWS
ire being kept at loss without the
'wner even suspecting it. The poor /
lows are eating up the profits Of the
rood ones, SO the herd az whole is
Improbable. Cow test associations
ire doing grand work in many
states. Their chief advantage lies in
he supervisor being trained man
Who comes into personal contact with (
he COW owner and Is able not only to I
instruct In selection, care and manage !.
nent of tho dairy herd, but can bring
he people together in one common in
crest, which. after ALL Is the big thing
n all lines Of advancement. II there
> any one thing above another that +
viii aid In building up the dairy indus !
~ II 10 the detection OF the unproflt-
BILE COW. In short, It is the applica- /,
lon Of business methods in farming.
Grazing Hogs.
n M SnmnfAr Of 2lmnnr county 1