Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1922-06-28
COOPERATIVE CATTLE
m. -.-~re.- BREEDING

!. BREEDING
with diversified farming
in Northwestern Minnesota is the in
terest in livestock development. More
attention is being given to the produc-
ton OF better quality of stock, ac-
cord1ng to- O.. NJ. Kisser, Northwest
Experiment. Station, Crookston, which
Is giving farmers more profitable re-
turns from livestock. 3r = z-S~<
- Most of the inferior stock seen on
our farms is the product of the
poorly developed sire and the sire Of
scrub breeding. The 1920 livestock
census report from the office of the
Minnesota Department of Agriculture
shows that in the eleven Northwest
counties OF Minnesota only % per cent
OF the bulls used are pure bred, This
fact alone, OF one purebred to every
50 scrubs, is evidence enough that if
any great progress is to be made in
cattle breeding, the first step is the
elimination of the scrub sires. -
Cooperative, cattle breeding rests on
the forming of a cooperative bull as
ISOLATION i'll a community where the
farmers are interested in the improve
ment of some one breed Of cattle.
These cooperative bull associations
are formed by farmers for the joint
ownership, use and exchange of high
class, pure-bred bulls. The bulls are
purchased by : the association from
among the best herds of the breed
that the community has selected to
improve. These bulls are used on the
herds Of the members of the associa-
are pure-breds or grades. By. the con
tinued use of a pure-bred Sire, the
most. common COW within two OF three
generations becomes the foundation
animal of high grade offspring. The
association bulls used on what pure
bred females that are owned by in
,dividual members, soon increases the
number of purebred females of "a
quality that will be desired by Other.
members Of the association or will
find ready outside buyers 49,;
Cooperative bull associations have
existed in Denmark since 1874; in
1906 the number there had grown to
1895 with a total membership of o.
200 owning 1896 dairy bulls The
first bull association in the United
States was started in 1908 by the
Michigan Agricultural College. On
July l, 1919, there were IS active as
sociations in p states, with total
Of 297S members, owning 81 pure
bred bulls. The typical cooperative
bull association as organized in this
country is composed of Is to 80 farm
ers jointly owning 5 bulls. This di-
vides the territory Of the association
into five breeding blocks and as
signs one bull to each block AS many
as so to. 60 cows may belong to the
farmers in each block. s-.7
A bull is kept in it's block until his
heifers are old enough to breed A
general shift Of the bulls is then made.
No bull of the association is elimin-
ated all are retained for breeding
purposes. A sire becomes known. by
the value>>of his get. Many sire
has been sent to the butcher before
his real value became known the bull
association makes it possible to try
out good sires thru years of service
A good sire should be useful until he
is at least 10 or II years old, pro
vided he does not become diseased or
physically disabled
# Only high class bulls are owned by
the association, as collectively, it is
possible to buy better sire The in
.dividual farmer, without the means is
often compelled to purchase cheaper
and inferior bull. Over a period OF
years, the individual member Of bull
association will have less money in
vested in sires than if he, as non
member, is compelled to do in MAX
ing a new purchase on the average
every three or four years, besides hav-
ing the full expense of the care Of the
animal = "a IS
The greatest care should be taken
in selecting bulls, as inferior bulls will
.comple tely defeat the purpose Of the
Organ1Zat ion. Some farmer centrally
located in each block, should be Sc
Elected to take care Of the bull, and
each farmer should pay his share Of
the purchase price. In addition, each
farmer pays his share of all other
expenses, including the support OF the
bulls. His share Of these expenses
should not exceed $1,000 to $15 an
nually. US
In order to avoid mistakes ID organ
ization, operation and selection Of
bulls, q community interested ii such
g project should get the assistance of
the county agent or livestock depart
ment OF the Northwest School OF Aeri-
culture. -
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