Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1925-04-03
IMPROVEMENT SEEN
IN BREEDING STOCK

prepared by the United States Department
of Agriculture.)
More than 100000 head of breeding
stock ON farms in the United States
are undergoing systematic improve
ment through the use Of pure bred
sires, according to report just is
sued by the bureau of animal indus
try, United States Department of Agri-
culture. Persons participating in this
work at the close Of the year 1924
numbered 1871 exclusive users Of
pure bred sires, widely distributed
among 46 states. The department, in
conjunction with state and county ex-
tension workers. is aiding these stock
owners to improve their methods Of
breeding and feeding.
This organized plan known as the
sires-better-stock campaign has
resulted in noticeable rivalry among
counties and states, where agricultural
leaders have used it as means Of
lettering farm live stock. Ohio, Ken
lucky and Virginia each have more
than 1000 farmers enrolled in the cam
paign. Largely through the activities
Of county extension agents, 40 coun-
ties in nine states each have the dis
tinction of possessing 100 or more live
stock owners who are using pure bred
sires exclusively in all their live stock
breeding operations. Pulaski county,
Virginia, leads the list with 592 such
breeders, and Union county, Kentucky,
Is second with 457 participants. The
chief advances in the progress of the
work during the last three months OF
1924 occurred in Kentucky, Vermont
and Ohio. A conspicuous new center
of interest in this field Of live stock
betterment was In Lee county, Iowa.
Altogether 235 additional stock owners
affiliated themselves with the cause
during the three-month period.
In commenting on the keen interest
which live stock owners are taking In
systematic Improvement by the better
sires route, specialists Of the bureau OF
animal industry call attention to the
most important result Of the work
namely, the superior types of animals
the substantial market benefits they
are deriving. AS typical. example,
an Oklahoma stock owner reported to
the department that "the difference in
price on the market more than pays
to keep pure breds even though we
sell no breeding stock" Scores of
similar reports show that the benefits
are practically the same in all parts of
the country. The departments rec
ords, showing the gradual growth of
the better-sires movement, appear to
be an index to the growing prevalence
Of good live stock on farms and in
market centers.
But before good live stock can be
produced in large numbers, the spe-
cialists add, there must be wide ap-
probation of the utility value of good
breeding coupled with the actual use
of high-class pure bred sires at the
head Of the herds and focks. The
Observation-Disclosures stock campaign un-
dertakes to supply this need in an
educational way.
Any live stock owner who replaces
his inferior male breeding animals
with good pure breds is eligible to take
an active part in this work. The de-
partment grants each participant a
barn sign, "Pure Bred Sires Exclusive
ly Used on This Farm" besides fur
nishing helpful information on the
breeding, feeding and care of farm
animals.
The new report on the progress of
the work contains summaries of state
and county activities, statistics on
number, kind and breeding Of animals,
announcements and terse facts on the
practical value Of improved stock. 1t
contains nine pages and is In mimeo-
graphed form. Copies may be obtained,
as long as the supply lasts, from the
bureau Of animal industry, United
States Department Of Agriculture,
Washington.