The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1920-03-05
BETTER SIRES LEAD TO
IMPROVED FEMALE STOCK
Developments in Federal and State
Campaign Against Scrubs En-
c0uraging to Owners.

That the use of purebred sires is
usually a ~forerunner to ownership of
wellbred stock in the various classes
and breeds is shown by data on breed
ing just made public by the bureau
OF animal industry, United States de-
partment 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 the data will be needed before con-
elusive deductions may be made, but
the following facts are considered of
unusual interest to livestock wners
The use of purebred sires appears
to lead automatically to the owner
ship of a considerable quantity of
parebred female stock.
The use Of purebred sires appar-
emily results also in the culling out
Of scrub females to grade, crossbred,
and purebred female animals owned by
puTtUIeu-SlTe users.
Of all female stock owned by per-
sons enrolled in the better-sires cam
paign at the end of the year, II per
cent were purebred, 26 per cent were
grades and crossbreds, and 3 per cent
were scrubs.
The scrub females are believed to
ho tho raponn-%1 - f.~u f-.-.
stock before purebred sires were used,
since purebred sires lead automatic
ally to either p%urebred, crossbred, or
grade offspring, depending on the
blood lines of the females used.
Low Percentage of Scrub Females.
The percentages of purebred females
found in herds and flocks owned by
p~urebred-sire users was noticeably
similar for the various classes of an
imals. In cattle the per ZEN of pure
bred females was 63.5, in swine Ga,
in sheep 60.
The per cent of scrub females in
the same classes was: Cattle SO,
swine g., sheep ga.
Poultry figures showed the smallest
per cent of scrub females in flocks
headed by sires of pure breeding, the
figure being 1.8. Poultry also show
ed the highest per cent (7S.1) of fe-
males of pure breeding, and the small
est per cent G.S) of scrub females.
Similar figures on horses, asses, and
goats are not presented, as the en-
rollment of these animals is not con-
sidered sufficiently large at this time.
Those classes, however, were includ-
ed in the totals.
Results of Work for Better Bulls.
Comments accompanying blanks of
enrolment indicated that many live
stock owners had used purebred sires
for a considerable period, which ma
terially 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 flocks.
The drive which many states have
been waging against scrub bulls was
reflected in the enrolment figures.
More purebred bulls were enrolled than
any other class of livestock, except
poultry.
At the end of December there were
enrolled in the "Better Sires-Better
Stock" campaign 5000 animals, and
in addition 8,949 poultry.
Facts Obtained with Special Care.
knowledge about the breeding of
livestock is obtained with special care.
First, the owner of the stock lists
his animals kept for breeding on the
enrolment blank in accordance 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
and of good quality.
Female stock may be Of any breed
ing and spaces are provided for the
listing of p%urebred, grade, crossbred,
and scrub females. Then the CLASH