The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1915-08-12
c. l.. Smith, in Able Article,
Gives Much Valuable
Information.
VALUE INDIVIDUALS
Profitable Dairy Cow 10 Individ-
ual, Not Breed-Feed and
Care Important.

c. L. Smith. agriculturist, represent
ing the Oregon Washington Railroad
q Navigation Co. was in the city last
Saturday in company with District
Freight and Passenger Agent l.. M
Foss of Lewiston. Mr.. Smith is am
agriculturist OF national repute and
his Views on better farming and stock
raising are being grasped by enterpris-
ing farmers throughout the United
States. The gentlemen held lengthy
conferences with number of progress
sive farmers In this section In an ef-
fort to interest them in dairying,
among the number being Mrs l.. c.
Ramsdell, Lawrence Bibb, John Roth
lisberg and others. Mr.. Smith Is also
working up a proposition through the
banks whereby responsible farmers can
secure needed assistance In building
up the dairy herds. The selection of
the best stock and how to ascertain
the most profitable individuals in the
herd are among the features of Mr..
Smiths work. Following is synopsis
of this famous agriculturist's remarks:
The average yield Of butter fat per
COW for all the cows being MIXED in
the Pacific northwest Is under 200
pounds. The poorest cows, therefore,
are great many COWS producing two
and three times this amount. re-
Gently went very carefully over the
record OF one good dairy herd OF thir-
ty cows, eight of them being heifers
under three years of age. and yet the
record as verified by the creamery
checks showed the average annual prod
uct of butter fat for the herd was 534
pounds per COW, a total of 5000 lbs.
for the thirty cows
These cows were not accidents. They
were the result OF selection, care
feeding and breeding through many gem
erations. They were the product of a
certain combination of important fac
tors that had so affected the natural
character of the animals as to develop
and intensity the original mother func-
tions into a valuable factor OF pro-
duction, that could be utilized by an
intelligent man to his profit and ad-
vantage. Their productive capacity
had been built up; but as these valu-
able characteristics or functions were
not so firmly established in the be-
ginning as not to be altered by con-
ditions, so in the built up COW, the alb
sence of any or part OF the factors
that had built up would tend toward a
/
There is an old adage that "A chain
is no stronger than its weakest link"
This is especially true of dairying.
Successful dairying is the logical re-
suit OF a chain of factors the weak
ness or absence of any link weakening
or destroying the strength OF the chain,
to the extent that the final profit is
always measured by the strength of
the weakest link. Certainly one of the
I important links is the COW. Her ca
pacity to manufacture food into milk
limits and controls the effectiveness OF
all the other factors.
The profitable dairy COW is an indi-
vidual, not a breed. There is just as
! wide a variation between individuals
of the same breed as between the
various breeds. In the selection OF in
dividuals it Is, however true that
those breeds that have been fed, ham
died and bred for any specific purpose
will show a reader. more general adap-
tation to that specific purpose than
individuals from families fed and bred
for other purposes.
The building up Of a dairy herd be-
gins, of course, with the selection of
individuals for the foundation. The
order runs something like this:
Second-Care; which includes feed,
shelter, water, and method of treat
ment
Third-Testing, sorting and wedding
out.
Fourth-Breeding.
Fifth-Feeding, handling and develop
ing II calves and heifers
Carelessness, negligence or ignorance
on the part of the dairyman in regard
} to any of the factors will eliminate OF
seriously impair the measure of profit.
: Before making any investment in
| cows, the dairyman should thoroughly
and intelligently consider the line oi
Continued. on Page -
. dairying to be followed, and the breed
that In his judgment is best adapted
for his purpose. Having determined Q
} line. then follow II persistently. One
8 Of the serious obstacles to general i'm.
r provement is found in the tendency Of
so many men to change breeds, cross
5 breeds and use grade sires. BY these
e frequent changes they reap only confu-
s sion, and more often build down thar
$ up.
CONTINUED on Page I4)