The Monticellonian., 1915-09-16
Double TmeProducon Nine Years
  
(By JOHN MICHELS.)

(By JOHN MICHELS)
 With the average farmer the cheap est and most satisfactory way of start ing dairy herd is to select as founda- tion stock good grade cows and pure bred bull of one of the strictly dairy breeds. The grading up will be most rapid when the predominant blood in the grades corresponds with the blood of the sire.
 A foundation of this kind, of course. does not produce stock that can be registered, but by continuing the use of good, pure-bred bulls of the same blood, stock is soon obtained which. so far as milk and butter production are concerned, very closely approaches in value that of pure breeding
 To start with pure-bred herd is practically beyond the means of the majority of farmers. Furthermore, there is an objection to placing we'll cared-for, pure-bred cows under aver age conditions as to feed. care and management, because under any such change the attainment of satisfactory results would be practically impos- sible. Where there is a gradual in- fusion of pure blood. as in the case of grading up a herd with purebred sires, the new blood is gradually ae- customed to the change of environ ment and the herdsman is given the necessary time to change his methods to meet the requirements of pure bred cattle
 Where the dairyman understands the management of pure-bred stock and has the means with which to pur- chase the right kind, pure-bred herd may be started to good advantage
 One of the chief dangers in start ing with a purebred herd is the lack of funds to procure the right sort of animals. Instead of purchasing a pure bred bull and number of purebred cows of common merit, it is better policy to buy relatively cheap grade COWS, and to add the money thus saved to that originally set aside for the bull. This extra money is likely to be the means of securing a bull of outstanding merit.
 Whether the COWS be grades or pure-breds, 1t is of the highest i'm. portance in building up a dairy herd to secure pure-bred bull of real merit. Unless the bull is descended from good milkers, 1t is folly to ex- pect him to produce good milkers, no matter how fine or ideal he may be as an individual
 It is, furthermore, of importance to remember that herd cannot be sue cessfully built up unless the bulls that are successively used belong to the same breed. If the grading up is be- gun with a Jersey bull the process must be continued uninterruptedly by the use of Jersey blood.
 The importance of the dairy sire is recognized in the expressions: The bull is half the herd" Usually, how ever, the bull is more than half the herd. either for good or bad In the case of common or grade COWS, for ex- ample. the pure bred bull may count for three-quarters or more of the herd by reason of his greater pre- potency. To so great an extent does the bull determine the improvement or deterioration of the herd as to call for the utmost caution in his selection
 In the case of dairy bull, especial. ly young bull, his chief value is de. termined by the performance of his ancestry The points of greatest i'm portance to consider in his pedigree are the following: CD The merit of his mother and his sire's mother CD The merit of the daughters of his sire and grandsire. (3) The value of the daughters of his dam and his grand dam. (4) The value of his sis ters, if he has any, and (5) the value of his own progeny, if he has any The further back consecutively good records can be traced the more valu- able the animal. It should always be remembered, however. that near an- cestors count for a good deal more than those more remotely related.
 With a first class bull at the head of the herd. rapid improvement is effected by selecting and retaining calves from only the best milkers, at the same time culling out those cows whose records have not been satis- factory This work cannot be done to best advantage unless records are kept of the quantity and quality of milk from each COW for a whole lac tation period.
 Where all of the COWS in the foun- dation stock are grades. none of the calves, of course, can be registered It is desirable. therefore. to add to the herd from time to time. as means 1 permit, some good pure-bred cows of i the same blood as the bulls that have been used. This has the advantage of enabling the owner to dispose of his calves to better advantage.
 The purchase of cows. however is always attended with the danger of introducing contagious diseases into l the herd For this reason. the pur-
 
 Keep Milk Covered.
 Milk that is kept covered absorbs ! .Ilx 4zk1