364 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



INFERIORITY OF THE COMMON STOCKS. 



The chief fault of the common cattle of Michigan is their lack of qual- 

 ity and uniformity ; this is due both to a need of good blood and also to 

 the indiscriminate admixture of the blood of breeds of both beef and 

 dairy types. Proofs of these assertions can be secured by observation. 

 In traveling about the state by wagon road or rail, note the number of 

 animals in each herd, also the variation in type, form, and more particu- 

 larly color. Except for the herds of the few breeders of pure-bred or 

 high-grade cattle, the common bunches will be found to contain a great 

 variety of color and types. In many herds, red, white, black, brindle 

 and all conceivable combinations of these colors are to be found ; at the 

 same time individuals Avill conform in a measure to strictly beef form, 

 others quite markedly to dairy form with all gradations between the 

 two. Breed indications as shown by color will undoubtedly attract the 

 attention of the casual observer more readily than other features. This 

 lack of uniformit}^ prevents the use of economic methods in any specific 

 line of production and prohibits the best results in marketing. 



A large percentage of the best cattle now being fed in Michigan by 

 good feeders are secured from western stockyards because it is difficult 

 to secure feeders of quality and uniformity at home; the culls have to be 

 purchased along with the better ones. 



Close inspection of consignments of cattle from this state is not neces- 

 sary to convince one of their lack of breeding. 



SOME CAUSES OF LACK OF BREEDING IN MICHIGAN CATTLE. 



1. Lack of infusion of good blood, 



2. The indiscriminate admixture of the blood of the various breeds 

 has been one of the most direct causes of the production of inferior 

 stocks. This has not been restricted to the breeds within the beef and 

 dairy classes, but includes admixture of the blood of the two classes. 

 With the rise in prices of dairy products, the common cows have been 

 bred to dairy bulls; with depreciated values for dairy products, these 

 same cows and their female progeny have been bred back to beef sires, 

 and so on. There are also numerous instances in which herds made up 

 of cows of small types producing a small flow of rich milk have been bred 

 to bulls of a larger breed noted for heavy milk flow, and vice versa. 



3. Another potent force tending toward the production of inferior 

 cattle is found in the prevalent use of grade and scrub sires. According 

 to the last state census there were 27,800 bulls one year old and over in 

 Michigan in 1904, valued at |805,932.00 or an average of |28.90 each. 

 This same report puts the average value of our three year old steers at 

 .f34.78 per capita, exceeding our average bull values by .f5.88 per head. 

 There are too many animals in our yards today sired by bulls bred to 

 females for no other purpose than to freshen them again. 



So far as external form and indications of quality are concerned, a 

 high-grade sire may look equally as good as a pure-bred one, and still 

 this is no justification for his use. Though an animal may be an excep- 

 tionally good individual, if he is lacking in prepotency, as the grade de- 

 rived from mixed blood on the dam's side is sure to be, his offspring 

 cannot equal those of the pure male. Grade bulls should not be used 



