The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-06-19
What Is a Bull Worth?
By FRANK ID. roMsoN

By FRANK D. TOMSON
 The value of bull is usually consid- cred in a general way rather than from the standpoint of the actual results in dollars and cents strange as this may seem,
 Recently, W. A. Cochel, formerly head of the animal husbandry department at the Kansas Agricultural college, analysed the subject in a way that simpli1es it and leaves little argument for the de- tense of the use of any bull that is not prepotent sire.
 MT. Cochel suggests as a basis that the average bull will sire 100 calves in the course of his life. Many would sire two, three or four times that number but for the sake of being sufficiently conservative he uses the 100 as a basis for calculation. He draws attention to the increased value of the calves sired by the regis tered Shorthorn bull, for instance, over those from the same dams sired by a grade or scrub bull If the increased value represented in the calves by the registered bull was 5 the actual value of this bull to the owner would be $500 If the increase was s1o the bull would be worth 5000 If there existed an excess value of $20 the bulls worth would be vzOoo the interest on the original invest ment being the only increase in the cost over the poorer bull.
 VALUE IS OVERLOOKED There are so many instances where the actual value of the get of a good bull exceeds the value of those of a poor bull by $50 per head, even from grade cows, that it suggests that we have really failed to comprehend what a good bull Is really worth. This is not written to urge farmers to go out and invest from SlOO0 to Si000 for their bulls, but to draw attention fn hn fatry rxf ;v, vestment if they actually did do it. The price paid doesn't determine the real merit or value of a sire but it is rather an impressive fact that worthy bulls ss rule do command fairly liberal prices Even when they are sold as calves there Is usually some buyer who foresees their outcome and prospective value and is agreeable to paying the price. This doesn't always apply by any means for many valuable bull has slipped through the sale at fraction of his worth be- cause the bidders were not then looking for bulls.
 Many a man has sat in a sale and all lowed good bulls, the sort he needed, sell Tor song because he had a bull at home. He failed to consider that his bull should go to the butcher or at least be kept away from the breeding herd He just knew that he had a bull and what would be the use of two bulls in his small herd
 
 usefulness then he would need another but while he lived and was able to do service, regardless of his lack of merit the owner wouldn't think of buying an- other, however valuable the bull and how ever low the price.
 This happens day after day and nearly everywhere. It doesn't seem to matter that the poor bull could be sold to the butcher for as much. or nearly so as the good bull would cost Here is an ex- pression that one hears in public sales times without number: "Oh, I've already got bull an what's the use of havin' two bulls?" Merit isn't considered Value Is overlooked The fact that the bull in question might add from s5 to $50 to the value ef every calf he sired is ignored. Maybe it is the feeling of comradeship that has grown up between the owner and his bull which makes him so reluctant to part with him. Perhaps that is the reason. yet I have a notion that it is the owners lack of business alertness that holds him back and keeps the old bull on duty. Whatever it is it seems to be always with us,
 WHAT MARKETS TELL US same fatness will show difference i'll selling value of from $ up to $50 per head Why? Principally because of the kind of bulls that sired them. Nor does this spread in the price take care of the gains and the feed consumption. Here again the kind of sire is the determil,- Ing factor. In the bushes of producing beef there is lot of credit that right fully goes to the good sire and there is a lot of grief and lack of profit that has to be charged against "o1d Colonel" or Spotted Dick" or "Baldy," or Black Jim" It's long list-these unworthies. They have outlived their deserts. They were never entitled to the place accord ed them. Aad today when the feed bills mount higT and the range quotations at the markets is so wide their owners recognize that they have been expen- sive.
 WHAT WE SHOULD BUY FOR
 This is the day of the better types There is profit in no other for the pro- drcer The pure-bred sire possessing size and quality is the only solution of the farmers problem A little increase in value on each calf makes the better bull not only worth while, but, under the pre- vailng conditions, an absolute necessity We are past the period when we were try Ing to make a bare living on the farms 1' this country. We are in business for profit now and the land we till and the types of live stock We employ must be considered in the light of an investment for this purpose. We don't buy bulls to save money but to make money. And In the sire shown by the few dollars on when there is such wide range of value each calf we may we'll get our attention on the bull that will sire the kind with the added value.