The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1920-02-26
prepared by the United States Depart
ment OF A~griculture.)

prepared by the Unitedl States Depart
ment OF Agriculture.)
That the use of purebred sires is u.s.
ually a fo%rerunner to ownership of
well-bred live stock in the various
classes and breeds is shown by data
on breeding just made public by the
bureau Of animal industry, United
States department Of agriculture. The
facts and figures compiled are based on
records of the Better Sires-Better
Stock" campaign, which at the close Of
1919 had been in progress just three
months. A greater quantity of data
will be needed before conclusive de-
auctions may be made, hut the follow
ing facts are considered Of unusual in
terest to live stock owners:
Ownership Of Purebred Females Fol.
lows Better Sires.
The use of purebred sires appears to
lead automatically to the ownership
of a considerable quantity of purebled
female stock.
The use Of purebred sires apparent
ly results also in the culling out of
scrub females. Judging from the small
proportion of scrub females to grade,
crossbred. and purebred female ami
mails owned by purebred-sire users.
OF all female stock owned by per-
sons enrolled in the better-sires cam
paign ut the end Of the year. II per
cent were p%urebred. 20 per cen were
grades and c%rossbreds. and 3 per cent
were scrubs.
The scrub females are believed to be
the remnants of former inferior stock
before purebrcd SireS We're used, since
purebred sires lead automatically to
either purebrcd. crossbred. or grade
offspring, depending on the blood lines
Of the females used.
Low P%ercentsge: Of Scrub Females.
The percentage OF purebred females
found in herds and nOcks owned by
p~urebred-Sirp users was ~nOticeably
similar for the various classes Of ami
mails. In cattle the per cen Of pure
bred females was G3.5, in swine "a.
in sheep 63.
The per ccnt of scrub females In
the sulne classes was: Cattle, 80,
swine. 20. sheep. Ga.
Poultry figures showed the smallest
per rent of scrub females IN flocks
headed by sires of pure breeding, the
figure being 1.8.
Poultry showed the highest per cent
esd of females of pure breeding,
and the smallest per cent Q.S) of
scrub females.
Similar figures Of horses. asses. an l
goats are not presented, as the enroll
ment of these animals is not consider
ed sufficiently large at this time. Those
| classes. however, were included in the
totals.
Comments accompanying blanks Of
enrolment Indicated that many live.
stock owners had used pmrebred sires
for a considerable period. which ma
t~erially reduced the percentage Of
scrubs. This is likely to be true of a
good many who enroll early in the
campaign. but is evidence pointing
strongly to the influence Of purebred
sires on Improvement in quality Of
herds and focks.
Shows Results Of State Work for
Better Bulls.
The drive whicl, many states have
been waging against scrub bulls was
reflected in the enrolment figures.
More purebred bulls were enrolled
than any other class of live stock, e.
cept poultry.
At the end of December there were
enrolled in the Better Sires-Retter
| Stock" campaign 600 animals, and
in addition s.949 poultry.
Facts Obtained With Special Care.
knowledge about the breeding of
live stock in the "Better Sires-Better
Stock" campaign is obtained with spe-
| ciol care. First. the owner Of the
! stock lists his animals kept for breed
ing on the enrolment blank in ac-
| cordance with the official definitions
for the various classes of animals with
respect to their parentage. AS the
better-sires slogan indicates. all males
must be purebred n OF GOOD quality.
Female stock may be of any breed.
ing and spaces. are provided for the
listing of %purebred, grade. crossbred,
and scrub females. Then the classil-
| cation is approved by the county agent
in the county where the livestock
owner lives. In the relatively few
cases where there is no county agent,
the written Endorsement of the blank
nv two experienced and dlsinterested
livestock n lei Is required.
Every person agreeing in writing. on
the blank furnished. to use only pure
bred slres in his breeding operations
receives un emblem of recognition is.
sued comparatively by the United
States department Of agriculture and
he state In which he lives. S0-called