The Bolivar County Democrat., 1919-08-30
First Daughters Virginia Freshen
prepared by the United States Depart
ment Of Agriculture.)

prepared by the United States Depart
ment Of Agrculture)
Looking forward to future food needs
Of the country's increased popula-
ton, 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-
tic animals in the United States with
purebred or high-grade stock and also
to improve the quality of purebreds
themselves. 1t 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
farm herd and flock is still low. Fol-
instance, the average dairy COW in
the United States yields about 4,000
pounds of milk year, figure scarce
ly two-thirds the average production
in some European countries, such as
Denmark. The United States has
s.lx H.
yields of more than 10000 pounds
double the Danish average-but on the
other hand it 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 a family of high
producers.
More SirIoin on WelI-Bred Cattle.
Among all classes of live stock a
similar condition exists. Proper breed
and more uniform stock, having a
greater percentage of desirable cuts of
meat and a 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 is
the outgrOwth of Investigations in
genetics, of live stock observations in
many countries, and a close study of
public opinion. In most live stock re-
gions of the world a gradual evolu-
ton 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
and 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 ac-
complishment, but no large country so
far has endeavored in an organized
way to improve all its live stock ST.
multaneously.
Live Stock Men Equal to Task.
Officials of the bureau of animal in
cred the problem from every angle are
convinced that it is possible to hasten !
the natural course of live stock evoli- |
tion with benefit to the nation. They /
are confident also that the live stock /
men of the country are eager to under
take the task.
The means of accomplishing most [.
Of the improvement, which affects |
about 200,000,000 head of live stock.
besides poultry, will be through wider
distribution and increased use of pure
)1ed Sires and dams.
Once the use of purebred sires be-
,omes general throughout the coun
ry. the process of grading up will be
'apid. Many experiments and also
PRACTICAL experience, when good sires
ire used, show that within three gen.
,rations most of the individuals in
Grub herd headed by purebred male
esemble purebred animals in appear
nee. In few more generations, un-
Ter skillful breeding, the former scrub
took Is graded up to such an extent
hat for production of meat and other
nimal products, they are practically
s useful as purebreds. The chief diff
erence between "high-grade" ami
cal and a purebred is in the value
or breeding. Only the latter can be
sed in producing purebred breeding
took. Moreover only purebreds are
ligible to registry.
Official Emblem to Be Furnished.
The department of agriculture
trough its cooperative state agencies
preparing to supply live stock rails
rs with printed information that tells
i popular language the best animal