The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1920-06-10
Antoinettes Ichen Rose King, the $4,000 Guernsey Bull Owned by the
Rowan County IN. c) Bull Association.
prepared by the United States Depart
lei OF Agriculture.)

S~0''y we
prepared by the United States Depart |
ment Of Agriculture.)
Who discovered Rowan county?
Was it the county agent, the state
n dairy division field men, or the
farmers themselves? All of these peo-
Pile had a hand in putting Rowan coun-
ty on the cattle breeders map. Here
Is how it happened.
In January, 1918, two field men rep
%resenting the state Of North Carolina
and the dairy division of the United
States department of agriculture, held
a series of meetings in North Caro-.
lima, going out from the towns to the
country schoolhouses and talking about
bull associations. The county agent
Of Rowan county became interested,
and an association was organized at
Salisbury, with a progressive and prac-
teal farmer as president. for the pur-
pose of purchasing and owning high
quality, purebred Guernsey bulls in
common.
That bull association has made Row.
an county famous; and the fame is
based or actual beneficial results. At
the beginning there were only Is pure
bred Guernseys in the whole county;
now there are 209. Over $4,000 worth
Of purebreds were brought into the
county in 20 months. The membership
of the association has gradually enlarg-
ed until now there are members in ev-
cry township Of the county. Their
number now is 219, and they W go
cows These men are not experienced
breeders, but the breeding operations
are guided by a man who is perhaps
the most experienced breeder in the
community. The assessment per COW
was ut first SIS. 1t was thought ndvis-
able to raise this to $7.5c, but before
doing so the fact was made public that
up to a certain date new members
would be accepted at the old rate; and
at the time As persons joined the as
ISOLATION.
Inquiries for Stock Pour In.
Before the association was started
Rowan county had no wide reputation (;
1t had no special reputation at all but
very 500 after the organization was
formed it began to get inquiries for
stock. These came from many parts
Of the country, and it kept the county
agent busy to take care of the CORE
spondence. AS this took place before
any attempt had been made to adver-
tise, it was apparent thai the associa-
ton in itself had a strong advertising
value. The breeders when working
singly undoubtedly had good surplus
stock for sale, but they found difficulty
in selling. because they had only the
local market; but the bull association
opened up the whole country as a
market.
The reputation made for the county
reached distant states. Five graduates
Of the college of agriculture in Ar
kansas are making inquiries with q
view to going to Rowan county to
live, because they wan to live and
farm in this progressive locality. A
number of soldiers returning from the
war are looking to Rowan county as
a good place to engage in dairy farm
ing.
Getting After r. B..
tuberculosis, that bane of cattle
raising, is being attacked in earnest.
These farmers, with their fine stock
and fine reputation, are not going to
run the risk of losing both from this
disease. Testing is going on accord
ing to the accredited herd plan, and
the test for tuberculosis has been ad-
ministered by the federal authorities
to 1000 animals. That the disease has
not gained a foothold in that region is
shown by the fact that only a fraction
of l per cent reacted.
Last fall the association members ex-
hibited JOG head of purebred Guern-
seys at the Salisbury fair. There were
16 heifers in one class. Breeders from
various sections of the country who
had herds of the same line of breeding
as the herds in the association were
invited to the fair.
Offered $4,000 for One Bull.
Among other visitors to the county
was a prominent breeder from New
York state, who was looking for a herd
bull. He was interested in one of the
association bulls, who vas the son of
a $4,000 bull, and who had himself
sired a number of good heifers. n
of these heifers had as yet made a rec
ord, but their conformation indicated
that they were Of excellent quality.
The visitor saw the bull and his daugh-
tiers, and finally offered $4,000 for
him. The association members thought
this was a pretty good offer. and were
inclined to accept it; but the county
agent demonstrated. "North Carolina
he said, "needs for its W use the
very best breeding stock it can get,
and we ought not to part with this ex-
cellent ANIMAL" The price. however
was so attractive that it was hard to
hold them back.
! The New York breeder wanted The