The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1921-09-29

sand dollar cows and two-dollar milk,
was one farmers characterization.
Yet the United States department
of agriculture annually is leading hun
dreds of farmers toward the posses
sion of herds that will increase or in
crease the former milk and butter-fat
yield with the same outlay for upkeep
One of the most useful agencies is the
cooperative bull association.
A Better Calf a Year.
A high-grade COW will impart her
excellent Qualities to one calf in a
year, and the total of high grade farm
cattle is increased by one. On the
other hand, bull whose mother had
the same milk and butter qualifica-
tions, and whose father is descended
from a milk and butter strain, may
sire as many as rs calves, each carry
ing its share of the racial excellence.
This bull can do duty with one lot of
cows for two years without danger of
inbreeding. If there were five lots of
cows and five bulls, and the bulls were
rotated from one herd to another every
two years, each bull would have a pc.
riod of usefulness of possibly 10 years,
and may easily have added $50 head of
young stock, with due proportion Of
high milk producing heifers. AS the
first generation of heifers became milk
ers, the breeding value of the bulls
to-
ferior sires could be weeded out Five
bulls kept for 10 years may change the
entire dairy industry of community
and possibly give its cattle a distinct
iveness that would be a valuable mar
ket asset.
existed in Europe for a long time. In
America the system is only IL or 13
years old, but records of milk and but
ter-fat production show tangible bene-
fit far exceeding the cost to the COW
owners.
At New Windsor, Md, for instance,
seven daughters of one sire averaged
27O5 pounds of butter fat a year, an
improvement over the average of 2O8.3
pounds for their dams. This was only
the first generation. The 5-block as
sociation will permit line breeding
with greatly increased possibilities.
Plan Of Organization.
To organize cooperative bull as
sociation, it is first advisable to
arouse as much interest as possible
in the plan through meetings, CONVEX
sation, and the circulation of litera-
ture. The county agent or even some
state or federal agricultural repre-
sentative ca unusually be induced to
help personally Advice can always
be obtained from the department of
agriculture by mail. Forms can be
had from the department for prelim-
mary agreement. in which, among
other things, the number Of COWS
owned by each prospective member
is listed. When a sufficient number
of cows have been listed, a meeting
should be called and arrangements
made for incorporation. Each mem
Der would contribute in proportion to
the number of cows he owns, but
would have only one vote.
AS early as possible, the temporary
or permanent secretary should begin
corresponding with breeders having
high grade bulls for sale. One bull
should be purchased for about every
Is cows. The cows should be divided
into blocks of that number, with 70
gard to geographical convenience. and
arrangements made for the keeping Of
the bull by a responsible member
whose farm is conveniently located.
The fees should be such as to cover
the purchase cost and the cost of keep
for a year, and annual assessments
provided thereafter.
Valuable information on the forma-