Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1918-11-19
Building q Dairy Herd.

(hAri Musser, formerly CT. College,
A survey recently completed in Con
necticut demonstrates there 10 still
money in the dairy business providing
the business 10 properly handled. One
group OF dairymen after paying all the
expenses and 25 cents per hour for their
own time, and per cent interest on the
capital invested, realized sl0.sO profit
on each cow.
Another group OF dairymen lost nearly
four times this amount. What was the
difference In these dairies? Surely the
man cannot be overlooked, but the fact
remains that there were other things
IL was not the market. 1t was not the
breed OF cows. II was not the cost OF
feed. II was largely the kind of sires
these men were using to build up their
herds. The cows in these profitable
herds averaged 1900 pounds 'of milk or
more. In some cases, as much 40 10, 600
and $4,000 pounds was averaged.
Since the time of the first constructive
breeding work, emphasis has been laid
upon the very important fact that i'm
provement 10 the production OF our
dairy cows has vital relation to the
kind of sires being used. The value of
such sires cannot be overlooked when
the above figures are given considera.
ton.
CAN WE AFFORD BETTER sIREs?
The question should be, "Can We az
ford to use any but better sires?" The
Influence that the sire may have is of
such vital importance that the use OF
grades and scrubs is an expensive prac-
tice, which no dairymsn can afford.
The stories of many prepotent sires
are to be read in every issue of the dairy
press. Practically 90 per cent of the
dairymen read such publications, yet il
has been found that these evidences of
the importance of the sire have not con-
vinced all the dairymen.
Without doubt, it is because they are
not willing to invest more than SIS 70
SIS 10 calf that they plan to raise as
the herd sire. This short-sighted econ
omy has meant more to small returns
from the dairy business than any other
No amount OF wise feeding and manage
ment will make profitable COW out OF
. mediocre producer.
Some dairymsn figure about like this:
"If can buy calf for S25, he increases
his weight and beef value, and by the
time he Is grown, be will sell for enough
more 80 that win have gotten the
service free" In many cases, the ami
NAL sells for price that leads one man
out Of three to think be Is making mon
tey by so doing, or at least, he figures be
Is saving on the expenses Of sire service.
On 17S dairy farms in Connecticut, those
upon which the largest per cent of pure
bred sires were used, produced milk
for 80 per cent less total cost than those
where the largest number of grades and
scrubs were used. How many dairy
men could claim q profit IL 80 per cent
of their expenses we're removed?
1t is not sufficient TO be content with
the fact that the sire Is registered.
Were ii not for the difference in pure
bred sires, two-thirds Of the dairy farm
ers In Connecticut would probably be
making money at the business; as Ii 10,
probably less than one-third are being
we'll paid for their time. The produc-
tivensss of the cows in q herd is, to q
marked degree, dependent upon their
sires. They are not the panacea for all
troubles that cause loss In the dairy
business, but no dairyman will financial
ly improve his condition if he depends
upon grade or scrub sires to assist him.
The better the cows in herd, the
more difficult it is to select q sire that
will add to the production of the proge-
ny. Were 1t possible to measure the
ability Of sire by examining him, the
trouble of the breeder would be at an
end. II is even more difficult to select
prepotsnt sire, or sire that will trans
NIT production, than 1t is to select cows
for production bY examination.