Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1917-05-15
Influence Of the Sire.

(E. 4. Fish, Massachusetts, College.)
Any good breeder Of live stock viii
tell you that the sire is half the flock
By that he means that half the breeding
which results In the immediate offspring
is by way of the sire. There 10 no othe
means of building up q herd or fool
which will bring quicker success than b!
selecting Q good male. But the question
of what constitutes good male is quit
another phase and is not answered IL
one sentence. If breeders could picl
out sires or males that could transmit
the qualities desired, the improvement
Of the herd or flock would be q simple
matter.
There has been great deal written or
the selection OF the male, and much of II
is of prime importance, but after all hsi
been said and done the conclusion Is thai
there is but one absolute test-the actual
production of daughters that meet the
requirements. This, of course, is espe.
cially true for dairy cattle, since the pro.
duction of milk is not so closely allied
with form ss Is the production of meat
In beef cattle or strength in draft horses.
However, with the latter, the best Ct
stations sometimes fail to produce de.
sirable typed offspring.
This method of testing is expensive
and for the dairyman loses the use of the
bull during the three years or more of
waiting and this is often the most val.
liable part OF the animals life. On the
other hand many good herds have been
spoiled for several years, due to the 81.
lection of an unworthy sire and bis ex-
pense is far greater than the first.
It is common practice among the
dairymen of the eastern states to use
com paratively young bulls In their herds
for two years only, and then sell them
and depend upon another young bull
which they have, in the meantime, rails.
ed for the head of the herd. This prac.
tice seems at first hand to be the only
practical method of procedure, because
after the age Of three years the bull has
attained his full growth, Is heavy feed
er and is hard to manage in aome cases.
II continued longer In the herd inbreed.
ing would result. The question arises
as to what is the proper way to avoid
this trouble. The smaller breeders can
not afford to maintain two separate herd
sires, hence they have not kept bull In
service long enough to prove his value.
When the dairyman purchases . calf
to raise as the head of his flock and In.
tends to keep him only two years be Ia
very likely to be Influenced to accept q
cheaper individual than he would II he
knew he could bold him longer. He
will secure bull calf whose ancestors
have been as heavy producers as he feels
be can pay for.
Asa means of removing this danger as
far as possible there are several methods
of procedure. The first and probably
more influential method with the largest
number of dsirymen Ia to purchase an
exceptional animal from q breeder of
known reputation. Then while he Is In
service In the herd to locate another
breeder who ia using similar aged bull
of much the came family lines and make
arrangements to exchange with him.
This may be complete or qualified ex.
change as the breeders see fit. An nn-
derstanding as to the recalling of the
former sire at the end of two years is
usually made.
Some breeders do not approve of this
plan because Of risks involved, the extra
amount of feed required to maintain an
animal of that age, and an Unborn feeling
that the other fellow will not play
square. These breeders do not stop to
consider that the extra amount of CAPT.
tai which they are investing In q new
sire every second year is more serious
loss in their business than the extra feed
ha
class of breeders Is also being rapidly es.
tablished.
The second and probably more to he
desired method ia to Join q cooperative
bull association. In this way the capital
ia lesseued for each memb Der and bulls of
proved merit and very exceptional breed
ing may be brought into the community.
The Improvement of the stock In q oom-
munity means "a much or more money
TO the wide-awake breeder as It would II
he had had the capital In the beginning
to improve bis own herd.
Records OF cattle herds maintained by
the various stations throughout the
country have forcibly brought to our at
tention the Decessitv OF being more care
ful as to the real value Of our sires. The
result of the Missouri station which
showed that out of II sires used 10 their
two herds, three were decidedly inferior,
two were practically neutral and six
were superior In their transmitting pow.
ers, is a positive proof that there Is call
for more careful and constructive breed.
ing.
As for the sires In other branches Of
live stock the same principles In modifl-
ed degrees are practical. Stations are
kept In q community for sufficient
length of time to show what they will
produce, and breeders are always skepti.
cal about breeding all their mares to an
improved stallion. In sheep and swine
breeding interchanges of males among
breeders is common and usually com.
mendable practice except whore a large
flock or herd 10 maintained and sew.
eral males are necessary.