The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1915-10-14

/ ing dairy herd Is to select as founda.
tion stock good grade cows and a 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 tho 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 a purebred herd Is
practically beyond the means OF the
majority OF farmers. Furthermore.
there Is an objection to placing well.
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 gradual In.
fusion OF pure blood. as In the case
Of grading up a herd with pure.bred
sires, the new blood Is gradually ac-
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 a purebred herd
may be started to good advantage.
One of the chief dangers In start.
Ing with a purebrod herd is the lack
OF funds to procure the right sort OF
animals. Instead OF purchasing a pure
bred bull and a number OF pure-bred
cows OF common merit, Il is better
policy to buy relatively cheap grade
cows, and to add the money thus
saved 10 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, It is OF the highest i'm.
portance in building up a dairy herd
TO secure a purebrod bull OF real
merit. Unless the bull Is descended
from good milkers. II is folly to ex.
pect him TO produce good mixers, no
matter how fine or ideal he may be-
as an Individual
II ia, furthermore. OF importance 10
remember that herd cannot be sue.
cessfully built up unless the bulls that
are successfully used belong to the
same breed. II the grading up is be-
gun with Jersey bull the process
must be continued unintorruptedly by
the use Of Jersey blood.
The importance OF the dairy sire ls
recognized in the expression: 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 a dairy bull. especial.
ly a 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: % The merit
OF his mother and his sire's mother. .
(2) The merit Of the daughters OF his .
sire and grandslre go The value
OF the daughters OF his dam and his
grand dam. 90 The value OF his sis
tiers, II he has any. and 90 the value
OF his own progeny II ho has any.
The further back consecutlyely good
records can be traced the more yalu.
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 mixers. al
the same time culling out those cows
whose records have not been salts.
factory. This work cannot be done to
best advantage unless records arc
kept Of the quantity and quality OF
milk from each COW for a whole lao
tation period.
Where all OF the cows in the foun.
dalton stock are grades. none OF tho
calves. OF course, can be registered.
IL is desirable therefore, TO add TO
the herd from time to time. as means
permit. some good pure.bred cows OF
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
contagious diseases into
tho hard For fhIa raaann Al. MA