French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1916-1919, 1917-03-22
HOW PURE-BRED IsSUPERIOR
TO THE GRADE ANIMAL.

A reader. an agricultural college
student, asks q question, which, al.
though not very clearly stated, we
take to mea something like the fol-
lowing. With rather limited feed and
none too good care, which will give
better results. a grade or a pure-bred
COW?
We have never been able to see
much in this question. No ANIMAL
mill give much without liberal feed
ing, and it is improbable and unbus-
iness-like to keep livestock and sub
iect them to hardships and short feed.
It is generally believed that the
scrub or grade will stand more abuse.
and still live, than will the pure-bred
COW. We do not feel at all certain Of
this. if the %pure-bred animal has not
been pampered earlier in it's life.
Early conditions of their individual
lives being the same, we, doubt if the
average scrub OF grade will Withstand
more hardships than the average pure
bred. But if it generally believed that
the scrub will stand more abuse.
Granting that this be true, what of it.
We want good rigorous, healthy ami
mails, but we do not want animals to
withstan dhardships and starvation.
because it can never be profitable to
subject our COWS to that sort of treat
ment. When any animal is en-
gagged in a struggle to find enough
feed to live on, or in w~ithstanding ex-
posture Or other h%ardships, it in doing
no good for any ones.
Why, then, is rustling ability
thought to be of such great import
ance, by Southern farmers? 1t is the
duty of the owner to protect his live
stock from lack of feed and other hard
chance for profit; hence, the ability to
ships and in so doing lies his only
withstand hardships is no more a de-
sirable quality in a dairy COW than
would be the ability to u races.
If, however, the question which our
reader intended asking is, which will
give the better returns on any feed
over and above that requied for main
tenance, theanswer is. beyond doubt,
in favor of the pure-bred. Of course
there are individual grade cows, which
are much superior to some ~pure-breo
COWS and also superior 10 the average
pure-bred COW; but the average pure
bred is superior to the average grade
But the chief value of the pure
bred is an advantage which comes
from her pure breeding. In the frs
place, the average quality of the an
cestors of the pure-bred is better thai
r the average quality of the ancestor
: of the grade, and because the pure
? bred COW is pure-bred; she is bette
able to reproduce in her calves tina
> higher average quality. A larger Pc
cent of her calves will be good cows
= although it goes without saying tina
all of them will, not. The averag
: quality of the pure-bred is higher tha1
: the average quality of the grade, an
the pure-bred on an average will max
t more profit on any feed given over an
above that required to supply tn
: needs of the body. But, as stated, tn
chief advantage of the pure-bred owe
the high-grade is the ability of th
purc-bred to reproduce her good quail
ties with more, certainty. In othe
t words. the chief value of the pure-bre
n over the grade is for breeding pull
n poses.-Dr. Butler in the ProgressiV
Farmer. !".4H sv + asEi 49, -,