Mountain advocate. (Barbourville, Ky.) 1904-1935, 1919-12-05

prepared by the United States Depart
ment OF Agriculture)
When two young bull aristocrats
started out on a journey TO their new
home in Idaho recently, an experiment
which will interest cattle breeders was
started under way. These two bulls,
both of which have enviable family
trees, were sent to the University of
Idaho-not to learn--but to teach, and
the subject they will demonstrate is
''The Best Method of Fixing and In
surfing Uniform Transmission Of High
Production in Dairy Cattle"
Better Animals In Larger Numbers.
The shipping of these two bulls, one
Holstein and one a Jersey, was the
first step in carrying out a co-Opera-
tive experiment, undertaken by the
dairy division Of the bureau of animal
industry, United States department of
agriculture, and the department of
dairying. University of Idaho. The
object is not to improve the high pro-
ducing dairy animals already in ex-
istence, but to determine q method of
breeding that will produce the better
animals in large numbers. When this
method is determined and put to prac-
teal use, as it undoubtedly will be, it
will result in a great advance to the
dairy industry. 1t is the average pro-
duction-the production of the rank
and file-that counts, and this expert
ment is aimed at raising that average,
rather than producing a few record
breaking cows.
The experiment to be carried out at
the University of Idaho is part of a
general plan for extensive breeding ex-
periments, outlined by II. II. Graves
of the federal departments dairy divi-
sion. Other experiments similar to
the Idaho project will be carried out
directly with the herds of the dairy
division and comparatively with herds
of state experiment stations and indi-
will fill long felt need for a series. of
planned tests, involving a
large enough number of animals, and
over a sufficient length of
time to warrant accurate and definite
conclusions as to the best method of
While the need for this
work has long been recognized, the
cost of the work and organization re-
quired to handle it successfully has
private individuals from try
ing 1t.
A Unique Experiment.
In the Idaho experiment the follow
ing methods of breeding will be com
pared: In-breeding VS.. out-breeding
and line-breeding VS.. Out-breeding. AS
and Jerseys predominant in
the university herds, the Holstein will
be used in the in-breeding and the Jer-
seys in the line-brecding work. No
experiments will be at
with these herds, but as this
type of work is included in the general
plan, 1t will be carried on with the
herds of some other station or breeder.
According to the rather unique
agreement with the University of
Idaho. the dairy division will furnish
the bulls used in the experiment, and
the university will furnish the cows. !
The experiments will be carried out |
with the animals in the university |
herds, and not less than ~ females |
are TO be used as the foundation herd |
In each experiment. The females and |
their progeny are to remain the prop |
arty of the university, while the bulls |
Will remain under the ownership Of |
he bureau of animal industry. The |
has agreed TO stand the eX-
Dense of feeding and caring for the |
pulls, and will retain all females pro-
luced in the herd until they have COM
lleted one lactation period so that ac-
,urate records will be had on the milk |
butterfat test, and date Of
,alving for all daughters of each sire.
Why Results viii Be Valuable.
The results of the experiments
hould furnish excellent data for de-
erminlng the relative value of In
breeding, line-breeding and cross
breeding since the same foundation
lnlmals will be the basis of both the
inbred and out bred herds. This will
make the inbred animals comparable.
generation by generation, with the out
red animals. In like manner, the
anne foundation animals will be the
'asis Of the line-brcd and cross-bred
Ierds making the line-bred animals
with the cross-bred ami
nails.
The Jersey bull sent the University
4 Idaho Is out of a daughter of Hill
ide TOrOnO, proved bull recently
purchased 10 head the experimental
erd owned by the government at New
IBERIA. Ia. Hillside Torono has three
anghters with annual records OF over
90 pounds OF fat on two milkings
ANY and a number of good records in
he making. Hillside Torono is sired
y Pogis Goth OF Hood Farm and out
{ Lass s7th az Hood Farm. the daugh-