Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1918-06-18
A Poor Bull Is the whole Herd.

A Poor Bull Is the Whole Herd.
It is often said that good bull 10
the herd. think that is true OF good
bufl and I also think that poor bull is
the whole herd. In going around the
country have an opportunity OF seeing
many poor bulls at the head OF fairly
good herds, and often wonder why 1t
10 that many OF our farmers do not seem
to realize the importance OF good sire
whatever breed 1t may be, cattle, hogs,
sheep or horses. How many there are
who are taking their mares to . scrub
stallion when, they could have the SER
vice of pure bred for little more than
they are paying for the use of the
othert
To return to the dairy interests which
are the back bone of New England farm
ing, many of our farmers in selecting
COW for the herd do not dioker very
much il they think they are getting
value received, whatever the price may
be, but in making the selection of herd
sire, they will let . matter OF few dol
lars stand in the way between a good
bull and q common one, without stop
ping to consider that the cow will have
but one calf year, while the bull
should have several. o.
The difference between bull with In
ferior breeding, from a poor individual,
with NO milk or butter records back of
him, and one from COW with good in
dividuality and production sired BY a
bull with producing ancestry, can't
be counted in dollars and cents. !
wonder do we realize what great things
breeders are doing for the great dairy
interests of this country when they put
their auimals on test, whether 1t be
official or semi official. 1t means that
you do not have to take his word for
what the COW did. That part is official,
backed by the experiment station OF the
state In which the record was made, as
we'll as By the breed association, and
when these records have been made
for generation after generation, why
shouldn't one be willing to pay for that
knowledge in buying either a male or
female?
find that large proportion of our
farmers overlook the fact that We should
be breeding up instead of going back.
and are content to 60 along In the same
old way, using bull that will get the
COWS with calf, but that is no credit to
the herd or his owner, who seems un-
willing to pay the man fair price for
an animal who has proved to the world
what his cows have done and are doing
"a thing that has cost him considerable
time and money.
One of the important things to con-
slider In purchasing q herd sire is in
dividuality; get that ss we'll as breeding;
also one wants to get transmitting
ability.
Select your herd sire as you would any
other important thing on your farm,
make wise selection and be willing to
pay for 1t. II you do not have oonfid ence
In your own selection, leave the choice
to some breeder In whom you have con-
fidence, and for every dollar invested
you will get value received II you
could only realize the importance OF
good sire on = herd the price would be.
no object. ~ -. !.
Supposing be increased the value OF
the calves $40 per head, how long would
1t be before he would pay for himself?
Supposing you raised his heifer calves
and he increased the average milk record
of your herd 1000 pounds, which Is con-
servative, what bas his value been to the
herdP Can you count 1t in dollars and
centsp No, 1t can't be done. BE has In.
creased the value of each individual
animal, it's offspring, and theirs. So 1t
goes on generation after generation.
There is no limit to what . good bull
will do.-E. A. Hutchlns In New Eng
land Farmer.