The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1922-03-23
URGES BETTER SIRES
TO IMPROVE HERDS
Prof. George Buckley Shows How
Good Bulls Will Increase Cash
Profits of Dairymen

| Aeei mo, VI. .
Buckley, formerly of the Pennsyl-
iania Agricultural College, has
7sued a bulletin in which he
urges the establishments of CO.
operative bull clubs as one meth
ID of improving the dairy stock
q the lowest cost.
p ofessor Buckley is now en-
ged in doing extension work
. tie Carnation Milk Products
! 'o@2any. He gives the follow
ali. e about Better Bulls"
Il farmers use improved
Machinery today, but too many
dairymen do not use improved,
efficient dairy cows, the most
wonderful of all farm machines.
Why use grain cradle or milk
scrub COW these days? Neither
is business-like nor profitable.
Really good cows are hard to
buy and very high priced. The
good dairyman takes no chances
of buying in Gull cows and abor-
ton. but keeps improving his
own herd with good bulls. He
makes his herd more profitable
every year, and occasional sur
plus stock brings good money
from less businesslike neighbors.
In 1907, the Iowa Experiment
Station bought several native
scrub-cows in Arkansas, whose
average production was only 1850
lbs. milk. Heifers from these
scrubs by pure-bred bulls aver
aged $500 lbs. milk-a 648o in
crease. Breeding these heifers to
other pure-bred bulls gave grand
daughters of the old scrubs, av-
eraging 84O1 lbs. milk, or 2 1-3
times as much. Many dairymen
have secured like improvement
and others should follow their
example.
We advocate the Cooperative
Bull Club because 1t Is the most
economical and practical method
Especially among smaller herds)
Of securing the use of high-class
bulls. It is not haif-baked"
theory, but successful practice
since 1874, originated in Dem
mark, where there are now al
most 1000 clubs. 1t is also the
established practice in Norway,
Sweden, Holland, and Switzer-
land; nearly 100 clubs are work.
ing in the United States, some
since 1908. The writer's exper-
ience of over years with bull
clubs in Pennsylvania, whore SO
bulls. costing from $3.50 to $24OO
apiece, are now serving the needs
of over 400 farmers with COM
plete success, convinces him that
this idea is of great value.
This is the plan: One, two or
a dozen farmers, living close to-
gether, owning a total Of 40 to
so cows, combine to purchase one
very high-class sire for use on all
their cows, instead of each own
ing and feeding a common bull or
scrub. This group or block
forms an association with other
blocks, to 5 blocks forming a
bull club. This club buys one bull
for each block, each member pay
ing a share in proportion to the
size of his herd; then every two
years the bulls are rotated or
exchanged. Thus each mans Or
iginal share Of part of the cost
of one bull gives him the full
use of very good bulls for to 10
years without reinvestment.
In each block the bull is sta
toned on one central farm, where
the other cows are brought for
service, the members sharing the
cost of his feed. To prevent
spreading disease, he must be
kept separate from the regular
herd, and disinfected at every
service, a cheap and safe precau-
tion. If a members herd breaks
out with abortion, he cannot use
the community bull for or 3
years, until it is cleaned up.
Where these rules are followed,
abortion has not and will not be
spread by the bull. Ask your vet
erinarian.
Where dairymen share in the
purchase and feed of one bull,
and continue to exchange instead
of buying new bulls, they can
use these valuable bulls at less
actual cost than common or scrub
bulls owned alone. Often, mans
scrub bull sold for beef will pay
his share in a club to last 6 or s
years. Besides this, the club gives
a chance to test out the bulls and
to use the best tested" sires as
long as they live, establishes one