370 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



COMMUNITY BREEDING 



By PROF. HELMER T. RABILD, U. -S. Department of Agriculture, Washing- 

 ton, D. C. 



The majority of the cattle of this country represent haphazard 

 breeding which largely accounts for inferior and unprofitable stock. 

 In some neighborhoods an individual farmer decides to grade up his 

 herd by the use of a purebred sire of a definite breed. Another 

 farmer also decides to use a purebred sire, but because he does not 

 want to appear to copy the example of his neighbor, he may buy a 

 sire of another breed. Eventually there will be a community of rival 

 breeders of all the dairy breeds, which is radically wrong. The 

 remedy for haphazard breeding as well as varied breeding is a Com- 

 munity Breeder's Association. 



The purpose of a Community Breeder's Association is two-fold: 



First, to improve the native cattle by the use of purebred sires 

 exclusively, and purebred cows so far as possible, all of the same 

 breed. 



Second, to put their business on a more substantial basis through 

 co-operation. 



The advantages of a Community Breeder's Association are as fol- 

 lows: 



It is educational. A body of people in pursuit of the same end 

 can profit not only by their own experiences but also in the ex- 

 periences of their associates. However well informed a man may 

 be he is continually meeting problems that puzzle him. He needs con- 

 stant advice and suggestions from the brightest members of his as- 

 sociation. He needs to exc]i9.nge views with his fellow-men and 

 to enlarge his perspective. A co-operative association can obtain 

 the services of a speaker from the agricultural college, or prominent 

 breeders from other associations. The experiences, not alone of one 

 community but of many communities enable a breeder to overcome 

 the many annoyances which he must overcome. 



An association enables the breeders to co-operate in buying. A 

 group of farmers can buy a bull in partnership and use him col- 

 lectively. This is a great economy over the plan of several farmers 

 buying their individual bulls and using them on only ten or fifteen 

 cows. Moreover, if a large number of cows or bulls are to be bought 

 for the community a large saving can be effected by having a repre- 

 sentative committee of, say three men, purchase the cattle instead 

 of each of the dairymen having to pay carfare and other travelling 

 expenses incurred in the selection and purchase of animals by him 

 for his own herd. 



An association enables the members to co-operate in selling. Even 

 though it be a small community it can build up a reputation not 

 only in the country but among all nations. As an example of a 

 small community building up a reputation for the Jersey cattle, 



