EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 163 



A PLAN FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF MICHIGAN CATTLE. 



R. S. SHAW. 



Bulletin No. 241. 



The presentation of this publication, at the present time, is designed 

 to serve a two-fold purpose. First, it is intended to be preliminary to 

 reports of animal breeding experiments of an important practical na- 

 ture either now in progress at this institution, or about to be taken 

 up. Some of this work has been under way for more than eighteen 

 months, and many more months and several years, even, must needs 

 elapse before other phases can be completed and reported. These investi- 

 gations are being pursued with the idea of securing more definite data 

 relating to some of the problems hereinafter discussed. In the second 

 place, it is hoped that the following discussion may lead to the adoption 

 of better methods in some of the commoner practices of animal breed- 

 ing, the principles of which are frequently grossly violated, quite as 

 often through carelessness and indifference as through a lack of knowl- 

 edge of them. While the illustrations and references relate chiefly to 

 cattle, many of the practices advocated will apply equally well to the 

 breeding of other classes of farm animals. 



NUMBERS OF CATTLE IN MICHIGAN. 



According to the 12th census of the United States there were June 

 1, 1900, 1,425,700 cattle in the State of Michigan, on farms, ranges, 

 and in barns and inclosures. In other words, this number includes 

 cattle on farms and in villages, towns and cities. On the basis of com- 

 parative numbers of cattle, according to this census, Michigan stood 

 eighteenth among the states and territories of the Union. 



From the last state census report we find that on July 1, 1904, Michi- 

 gan possessed the following numbers of cattle, viz. : 



Head. Value. Average 



value. 



Calves under 1 year 425,369 $2,462,105.00 $5.78 



Steers 1 year and under 2 years. . 190,791 2,723,265.00 14.27 



Steers 2 years and under 3 years . . 83,688 2,055,051.00 24.55 



Steers 3 years and over 9,187 319,553.00 34.78 



Bulls 1 year and over 27,880 805,932.00 28.90 



Heifers 1 year and under 2 years. 194,688 2,947,460.00 15.13 



Dairy cows 2 years and over 746,685 23,351,723.00 31.27 



Other cows 2 years and over 66,222 1,709,788.00 25.82 



Total : 1,744,510 $36,374,877.00 



