The Dermott news., 1917-02-08
.iJW To BUILD Up
4 GOOD FARM HERD
Live Stock Is farmers Opportunity,
Says J. X. Mcleod. OF Exten-
sion Division.

1t should be the desire OF every Ar
kansas farmer interested in livestock
to build up at least a good small farm
herd. Whether this desire culmjnates
in the production Of high grades for
market purposes or develops into the
breeding OF pure BREEDS for high quail.
ity Of trade. the method of procedure
is practically the same
Sire Is Hail the Herd.
The first thing that the prospective
breeders should firmly fix IN hi mind
t. thai the sire is half the herd. Il
does not matter how good the females
are. unless the sire is 4 good ind
viduaI, capable Of stamping his char
acteristiCs upon his offspring, prog
ress II the improvement cannot be eN.
pected. Therefore. those expecting Re
30 into the business OF breeding hogs
or cattle should pay particular atten.
ton to The selection of the head o.
the herd. \ sire. among other things.
should have a strong constitution, that
is, 4 deep chest development. with 4
large heart girth. An animal without
OF the amount of breeding usually cE.
pected of him Uor viii he sire as TO.
bust animals or as active grazers and
good feeders a. the sire which is
strong in constitution. Other points
that should command attention are
good broad backs. strong loin. dec
sides aud We'll developed headquarters.
Watch For Characteristics Of
Proficiency.
With this development there should
be the characteristics of prepotency
that is the power of transmitting de.
desirable qualities 10 the offspring.
This power is denoted by we'll crest.
ed neck with strong male appear
anCe in the head and good constitu-
ton Herds of hogs as we'll as cattle
are often ruined by failing TO pay at
tontion to these points. The practice
OF breeding females that have Che
characteristics of males will have
tendency to produce smaller animals
that are not as good breeders as those
that have been moro wisely selected.
II The sire is half the herd. il or
ly stands 10 reason that the females
constitute the other half. Thus The
selection OF this part of the herd has
an impoltaas bearing upon the sue
cess Of the prospective breeder The
same things that have been pointed
out 4 The selection OF the male ap
plies 10 the female. With the exception
NhAnId fol 10
characteristics just as strongly as tho
male should show male character
istlcs
Select Fer Uniformity Of Type.
Uniformity of type in the females is
another thing that needs conSiuera-
ton. The appearance of Il herd IN
this respect always makes strong
impression upon the prospective
buyer whether the would-be buyer is
selecting feeder or breeding animals.
The man who has developed a herd
recognized for its uniformity will have
greater demand for his stock at bet
ter prices than the breeder who has
not given the matter OF uniformity
due cons liberation The prospective
breeder viii And 1t n fairly easy Job
10 pick a uniform herd if he is going
into the pure bred business. but where
starting with Arkansas grades or
scrubs he will find il more difficult
proposition to secure the type desired f
He should. however, endeavor to SO
cure his females with as uniform type
and color as possible,
eliminate inferior individuals in the
Herd
Another point upon which the sue
cess or failure o. the prospective
breeder depends is the elimination OF
inferior individuals in the herd. Mis- F
takes In the livestock business have f
often been made by beginners in sell
ing off the best female offspring Of
the herd This mistake is naturally E
encouraged by the more attractive {
prices offered for the better animals +
but Il only stands to reason that II
practice is made OF disposing OF tho
better females no Improvement can
be made. or at least IL Will be very
slow. while on the other hand II
practice is made or selling on the
poorest females in the herd and keep
ing the best time will come when
the breeders poorest animals VIII br
much superior, perhaps, to the best
animals owned by n neighbor breeder
who has not followed systematic Sc
lection In his herd.
Begin in the Livestock Business Ac
eordins to Means and Experience,
the sansst and safest way for the
inexperienced man with limited means
to start in the livestock business Is &C
start on small scale. Some of the
best livestock men in the country 10
day are men who have begun the bus
mess in small way.
In 1883 certain farmer in Texas
started in the pure bred cattle bust
ness with one COW and a bull Today