Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1918-07-09
Getting into Pure-Breds.

huSV Ooos
GA. Sell, wisconsin.)
Three years ago Fred Cox, Sr., OF
Wisconsin had an ordinary herd OF grade
Holsteins with q few native COWS. To-
day be has 3S head of pure bred Holstein
cattle. This change from grades to
pure-breds was made practically In one
year, for In August 1915 there were only
8 pure bred cows on the farm owned by
Mr.. Cox.
The remarkable thing about this
change In herd is that it was made by an
elderly man who was without large
amount OF cash. To say that all this
was done by farmer practically retired
from business, is telling but part OF the
truth. When asked why he went into
pure breds, he said, "The boys wanted
to. That's their doings. Ask Freddie
about II, it,"--thereby demonstrating again
what . powerful influence the rising
generation has In shaping the business
policy OF the farm. As matter of fact,
Fred the 19-year.old son, did most Of
the selecting and buying of animals that
came into the herd by purchase. he
had learned the art Of picking out COWS
for dairy type while training on high
school live stock judging team, team
by the way, which won the district
judging contest and took part IN the
state wide contest of the year 1915-1918.
In reply to the question, "Whst made
you want to get into pure-bredsp" Fred
Cox claimed to have been given the idea
by bis former agricultural instructor.
an fact" said he, "most OF my ideas
and belief In up-to-date progressive farm
ing came from that source, supplement.
ed by extensive reading in agricultural
papers and bulletins"
TESTING AND WEIGHING STARTS BALL
ROLLING.
my interest in good. dairying," con-
tinued this progressive young farmer,
twas first aroused about FIVE years ago
when was induced to weigh and test
the milk of every COW in our home herd.
II was then that I,found out the great
difference in the producing value of
cows. In those days We had herd OF
roam Shorthorns and considered them
nice COWS, but after one month of test
ing and weighing their milk, and com.
pairing the value of 1t with the value of
feed consumed, We sold IS of the old
roam COWS in that good herd. Then we
bought II Shorthorns, but sold them al
80 before the following spring. When
ever We heard OF good COW and could
get hold of her, We brought her into our
herd and tested her out. The unprofit-
able ones were sold again and only the
good ones were kept. This process Of
testing and culling out soon showed us
the difference between beef and dairy
types as relates to filling the milk pail,
and before long we were trying nothing
but grade Holsteins. Then, In March,
1914, We got our first pure breds, just to
Try them out. BY August 1915 we had
TWO more, besides pure-bred sire, but
bad become convinced that We would be
satisfied with nothing else. After that
i took only year to replace every one
,f the grade cows, even the best ones,
with ure-breds."
"And how did you 60 about to make
Ibis quick changer" asked.
"By somewhat the same methods that
ne had used before, by gradually selling
IF our grades, always the poorest ones,
Ind replacing them with pure-breds,
,nly we epeeded up some on the process.
We would dispose of several grades and
ret enough money for them to buy about
third Of that number Of pure breds.
Now and then we would get few extra
pure. breds which would require some
extra cash, but much of that came from
milk checks. In purchasing pure.breds
We generally got from two to four COWS
It time from one breeder, and all of
,ne family, always trying to get animals
hat were of the same breeding as those
We already had. personally attended
most OF the good sales In the state, and
bought only Of breeders with reputa-
ion. Sometimes !my father went along.
but generally he wanted me to do the
purchasing. I have also made personal
7isits to the herds Of many prominent
Holsteiu breeders of this section.
"The Investment required was not
great. Practically all the money needed
,ame from the sale Of grade cows and
from receipts from milk. Then, too,
when the first pure-bred offspring ar
lived the bull calves were sold and the
money turned into heifers. Every avail
able means was used towards the end of
Increasing the pure bred herd"
WHY HE PREFERS PURE BREEDS.
"Wha first attracted our serious at
tention to pure-breds," said Mr.. Cox,
twas the extra income derived from the