Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1919-11-27
(By c. A. Hutton, Dairy Husbandry
Specialist, Division of Agricultural
Extension, University Of Tennessee.)

(By c. A. Hutton, Dairy Husbandry
Specialist, Division of Agricultural
Extension, University of TENNESSEE
One of the most important factors
lin the improvement of the dairy cattle
'Of county or a community is the
kind Of bulls used. Most farmers now
realize the value of using good sires,
but often the cost of owning one foI
n small herd is so high in proportion
to the number of cows to be used that
the farmer feels that he can not invest
enough money to secure high-clasS
purebred bull. If he has some neigh
bors who also are interested in build
ing up good herd from the few cows
that they own, the most effective way
for all OF them is by cooperative own,
ership Of a sire of the best dairy qual.
tiles. If there are as many as three
such communities in county or with.
In reasonable distance of each other
the best means TO an end Is the co.
operative bull association.
In such an association an assessment
is proFated among members in proper
zion 10 the number of cows each man
owns. This cost rarely exceeds SIC
per COW. The bulls are then bought
by the directors of the association, and
one animal is placed in each block OF
community, where he stays two years
At the end of this time each is adj
Sanced one block to prevent inbred
ing. Number one goes to two, two /,
three, and so on until the highest is |
reached, and it progresses to numbcl |
one. Keeper of the bull in each BLOCK |
usually is paid a small fee which re |
imburses him for the upkeep of the |
animal. This rarely exceeds 81 pc |
COW for each year
In selecting bulls for a cooperative |
bull association, the prime considera
'tiOn is, will their daughters be better
producers than the dams of the daugh
tiers? In other words, will the calvC,
,of which they are sires be better pro
ducers than the mothers?
; Thus they must not only be COED
individuals, but they must be from
| high-DrOducing family. one of the
! chief requirements Is that the dam,
iOf such bulls must have a register OF
merit record of not less than J0(
pounds of butter-fat in year as ma
,ture COW, or a prOpOrtionate amour
iii the record was made when the COW
twas under FIVE years of age. 1t is als(
desirable to have the bulls from cow
that have a large number of daughters
in the register of merit, and to have
"a great percentage of the ancestry fOl
at least four generations in the registp!
of merit. With these requirements full
filed, how can the bulls be selected
keep from improving the qualities Of
the future dairy COWS of the con-
munity?.
In practice the actual cost TO own
such bulls comparatively is but little,
if any, more than the combined cost
of the ordinary bulls replaced by them
a bull for the association would cost
about 500, and would replace from
four to five ordinary purebreds, or per
haps grade bulls, worth on the beef ..
market about 500 each
The cooperative bull association Is
not an experiment. 1t has been sue
cesSful in a number of states for seS
nra years. Tennessee has (September,
1919 two cooperative bull aSsocia
tions-One in Wilson and one IN Bed
ford courtyard several others in
process of formation. Each Of these
counties has cooperative creamery !
md a cooperative cow-testing asso.
,iation. They enjoy the distinction Of
)eing the first in the South to have all
IIree of these mutual organizations. /
The Wilson county unit has eight ,,
blocks, and is one of the largest in the -
United States. All of the eight excel q
cnt sireS owned by that organization h
ire related to "Sybil's Gamboge," :,
5000 animal. 9
The cooperative bull associa ton is ,
two edged sword. 1t cuts high and i
caches the well-to-do.--thoSe who have >.
God bulls, but want better ones ut the
east cost. 1t also reaches out to thc
title man, or the small daryman, who
cells that he can not afford to own 4 G.
cal good bull owing 10 excessive cost. t.
. affords him an opportunity to breed 81
is COWS to the very best dairy blood. VI