The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1920-02-17
IDAHO HERDS
REQU|RECARE
MUCH ROOM FOR IMPROVE
MENT FOR DAIRY BREED.
ERS IS BELIEF.
BY R. F. Cammack, Field Dairyman
Of the University Of Idaho Extension
Division.

~ mas UCCu CStIIHdtcu thdt AZ least
one-third of the so-called dairy cows
in the United States are not profitable
producers. Statistics tend to show
that the average dairy COW in Idaho
produces an average Of 100 pounds of
butter fat, which surely is not suf-
ficient to pay much of profit over
the cost of production. From this
and the statement Of many who are
keeping dairy cows of inferior quality,
one can. readily believe that there is
plenty of improvement possible in
Idaho dairy cattle.
Naturally the first step must be
to know the relative standing of the
cows. There are those who claim to
be able to select dairy cattle by their
conformation and visible appearances.
and it is true that great progress has
been made in study Of these factors.
but the very best judges often are
shown to have been received in their
judgment when the real test-that of
the Babcock tester--has been applied.
Usually the very high producers and
extremely low producer can be Sc
lected, but not the great majority of
cattle. There is very little excuse
today for not knowing something def
mite Of the production Of individual
cows, since it is possibleto weigh and
test the milk at regular intervals thru
the COW testing association Of thru
testing clubs, schools, or individual
use Of the testing outfits. The first
commandment Of the dairymen should
be, "Know the production Of your
cows" Without this knowledge there
can be no def. lite assurance Of prog
ress.
Must Eliminate Poor Ones.
The next step is to Gull out the
poor producers and breed for higher
production. This calls for conserve
tive plans and careful study. Two
per cent of the cattle in the United
States are bred to sires with known
ancestry, backed up by records of pro-
duction. The excuse formerly given
of high cost and difficulty Of secur-
ing good sires Is no longer sufficient
with the increasing number Of yearly
records and the formation of bull as.
sociations, The dairyman with q
cows or more often prefers to owr
his own bull and to follow definite
breeding plan, such as line breeding
inbreeding, outcrossing, etc. but tn,
dairyman with only few head doe.
not feel able to keep good sire fol
his personal use. 1t Is In such case.
that the bull association is Of specia
value and It Is possible to organic,
an association in nearly every com
munity, provided the spirit of Co
operation is sufficiently developed.
| The selection of the breed Is us
ualiy Of less importance than the Sc
lection Of the individual cows an,
community cooperation. The mark
citing facilities and personal prefer
ence (if strongly developed) will o
course be factors to be considered
The great advantage of breeding I,
a bull out of dam with high rec
ord and which has an ancestry o
known production cannot be over Is
timated. If these bull association
could be organized in every commun
ity in Idaho where good bulls are no
available for breeding, no doubt II
average productions Of our cow
would be doubled in five years. Nee,
less to say the records would have I,
be kept up in order to Gull out sue
cessfuily the poor producers.