Newark post. (Newark, Del.) 1910-1969, 1919-08-20
BETTER SIRES-BET-
TER STOCK CAMPAIGN
TO BEGIN OCTOBER |
VIII Hasten Replacement of
Scrub Animals and I'M
Prove Quality Of
Pure-Breds

food needs Of the cOuntry'S increas-
ing population, the United States
Department Of Agriculture in CO.
operation with the various agencies
interested in live stock improve
mcnt, will begin a national better
livestock crusade to begin October
with the slogan, Better Sires-
Better Stock. "
The plan is to hasten the replace
ment of the multitude Of scrub do
nestle animals in the United States
with pure-bred or high-grade stock
and also to improve the quality Of
pure breds themselves. 1t has been
evolved through long and careful
observation Of the livestock indus
try in this country and after extern
sive consultation with specialists
and breeders.
NATION s MILK AVERAGE Low
For many years this country has
contained thousands Of the finest
specimens Of live stock in the world,
but in spite of that fact the quality
and productive capacity Of the
average farm herd and flock is still
low. For instance, the average
dairy COW in the United States
Yields about 1000 pounds Of milk
year, a figure scarcely two-thlrds
the average production in some
European countries, such as Den
mark. The United States has thou
sands of COWS which have milk
Yields of more than 10000 pounds
double the Danish average-but
on the other hand it has hundreds
of thousands which are kept for
milk and yet yield only small
fraction as much product as the
best COWS, though receiving nearly
as much feed and care.
The difference in milk yield is
due in large measure to difference
in breeding, but herd of low pro-
duction can be improved rapidly by
the use of a pure-bred sire from
a family of high producers.
MORE SIRLOIN ON WELL-BRED
CATTLE
Among all classes of live stock a
similar condition exists. Proper
breeding Of beef animals results IN
better and more uniform stock,
having a greater percentage OF des-
irable cuts Of meat and smaller
quantity of bone, offal, and inedlble
parts. Likewise in swine, sheep
goats, and poultry production, the
kind of parent stock largely deter
mines the quality and market value
of the products. The crusade OF I'M
provement now to be undertaken
is the outgrowth of Investigations
in genetics, Of livestock observa
tons in many countries, and close
study of public opinion. In mos
livestock regions Of 5he world
gradual evolution toward bette
live stock has been taking place
for centuries. The rapidity of thes
changes has an important bearing
on world commerce and on the pros
perity Of the nations IN which I'm
prOvement has been greatest.
LIVESTOCK MEN Equal TO TASK
Officials of the Bureau of Anima
Industry and others who have con
sidcred the problem from ever
9ngIe are convinced that it is pos
sihlp to hasten the natural cours
of livestock evolution with bench
to the Nation. They are confiden
also that the livestock men OF tn
country are eager to undertake tn
task.
The means of accomplishing mos
oI the improvement-which affect
about 2O0,OOO,OOO head of live
stock, besides poultry - will b
through wider distribution and II
creased use of pure-bred sires an
dams.
Once the use of pure-bred sire
becomes general throughout tn
country. the progress Of grading II
will be rapid. Many experiment
and also practical experience, whe
good Sircs are used, show that witt
In three generations most OF TT
individuals in a scrub herd heade
by purr-brcd male resemble pur
bred animals in appearance. In
few more generations. under ski
fuI breeding, the former scrub sto(
is graded mp to such an extent tn
for production of meat and oth'
animal products, they are practl
ally as useful as pure-breds. III