The state herald., 1919-08-29
F.. Thre. Daughter. Of suan.. vonl. Lad to F..h.n
prepared by the United States Depart
ment Of Agriculture.)

ment Of Agriculture,)
Looking forward to future food needs
of the country's Increased popula-
tion. the United States department of
agriculture. In cooperation with the
state agricultural colleges and other
agencies Interested In live stock i'm
prOvement, announces national bet
ter live stock crusade. to get actively
IN motion October under the slogan
OF "Better Sires-Better Stock"
The plan is to hasten the replace.
ment Of the multitude of scrub domes-
I tic animals In the United States with
purebred or high grade stock and also
to improve the quality of purebreds
themselves. It has been evolved
through long and careful observation
OF the live stock industry in this coun-
try and after extensive consultation
with specialists and breeders.
Nations Milk Average Low.
For many years this country has
contained thousands Of the finest spe.
cimens Of live stock In the world. but
in spite Of that fact the quality and
productive capacity of the average
fnrm herd and flock is still low. For
instance. the average dairy COW In
the United States yields about 1000
pounds Of milk year, figure scarce.
ly two-thirds the average production
In some European countries, such us
Denmark. The United States has
thousands OF cows which have milk
yields of more than 1900 pounds
double the Danish average-but on the
other hand II has hundreds of thou
sands which are kept for milk and yet
yield only small fraction as much
product as the best cows. though re-
ceiving nearly as much feed and care.
The difference in milk yield Is due
In large measure to difference in
breeding. but herd Of low production
can be improved rapidly by the use Of
purebred sire from family Of high
producers.
More sIrIoin on WelI.Bred Cattle.
Among all clnsses Of live stock n
similar condition exists. Proper breed
Ing Of beef animals results In better
and more uniform stock, having q
greater percentage Of desirable cuts Of
meat and n smaller quantity Of bone,
offal. and inedIble parts. Likewise In
swine, sheep. goats and poultry pro-
duction, the kind Of parent stock large
ly determines the quality and market
value Of the products. The crusade Of
Improvement now to be undertaken IL
the outgrowth Of investigations In
eenetics. Of live stock observations in
many countries. and close study Of
public opinion. In most live stock re-
gions Of the world n gradual evolu-
tion toward better live stock has been
taking place place for centuries. The
rapidIty Of these changes has an I'm.
portant bearing on world commerce
md on the prosperity Of the nations
In which Improvement has been great.
est.
Individual and community efforts In
many cases have resulted In marked
live stock progress In small areas The
islands Of Jersey and Guernsey are
familiar examples Of this kind Of &C.
complishment. hut no large country 10
far has endeavored In an organized
way to improve all Its live stock si.
multaneously.
Live steek Men Equal 10 Task.
Oflicials Of the bureau Of animal In.
F. dustry and others who have consid.
cred the problem from every angle are
convinced that II is possible to hnsten
|ithe natural course Of live stock evolu.
Etion with benefit to the nation. They
>Are confident also that the live stock
*nen Of the country are eager to under.
( onke the task.
RI The means Of accomplishing most
~ the Improvement. which affects
,hbout 100000 900 head Of live stock.
BESIDES poultry. will he through wider
4 distribution and increased use Of pure
Died sires md dams.
N Once the use Of purebred sires be.
ZONES general throughout the coun.
4ry. the process of grading up will he
espld. Many experiments and nlso
Drnctical experience. when good sires
Dre used. show that within three gen.
!. .orntions most of the individuals In =
obrrub herd headed by n purcbrcd male
brsemblc purcbrcd nnimnls In appear.
Once. In few more generations. IN.
Der skillful breeding. the former scrub
1fock In graded up 10 such mn extent
INIT for production Of mcnt and other
Z onlmni products. they nre practically
I . useful M purcbrcds. The chief dif.
32erence between ''hivh.Hrnde" AMI.
Jbni and n purcbrcd II In the vniuc
3br breeding. Only tho latter cnn bc
bscd In producing purebrcd breeding
SDtock. Moreover only purcbrcds nrc
hligible To registry.
~ oss,eial Emblem 10 Do Furnished.
q The department of agriculture
<hrouTh It's cooperative stnte agencies
- preparing TO supply live stock rnis-
3rs with printed Information TINT tells
- popular language the best animal