' EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 169 



and replacement is out of the question, as it would require the returns 

 from the sale of three or four common animals to purchase one pedi- 

 greed one. Third, it is highly desirable for breeders to grow into any 

 line of pure breeding rather than to buy into it suddenly, and take 

 up a work in which experience is necessary. 



In general, then, it is necessary for the majority of holders of com- 

 mon stock to make the best use of the animals on hand, with a view 

 to improving them. Let us suppose the case of a herd of common, or 

 mixed cattle of say eighteen head, and apply a plan of improvement. 

 The first thing for the owner of this herd to do, is to decide upon some 

 one line of production, either beef or dairy, and then stand by the reso- 

 lution. Without this he cannot improve his herd, for the animals of 

 mixed breeding are largely the result of frequent change of purpose. 

 Suppose in this case, that the owner has decided to go into the dairy 

 business; that being the case, the next thing to do will be to look over 

 the herd of eighteen, and decide which ones are so possessed of dairy 

 type and characteristics, as to warrant their being used in the business. 

 They can be divided into three classes, such as best, medium and in- 

 ferior, from a dairy standpoint. Then, in the majority of cases, it will 

 be found to be a decided advantage to send the six inferior ones to the 

 block and use the remaining twelve for the foundation herd. Having 

 selected the females to be retained, the next and one of the most im- 

 portant steps is to decide upon the breed to be used in improvement. 

 In this, adaptability of the breed to the conditions, and the question 

 of personal preference, are the two important factors; the decision of 

 this question is also an important factor, for a change of mind after 

 the work has begun, and the use of other blood, is more apt to result in 

 retrogression for a time, than improvement. Having decided upon the 

 breed to be used for improvement, suppose it is the Holstein, then pur- 

 chase the best Holstein bull that the pocket book will allow. Mate 

 this bull with the twelve selected cows, and use him for two seasons, 

 after which his progeny will be old enough to breed. At this point 

 secure another Holstein bull, a better one than the first if possible; 

 follow him with others of the same breed, indefinitely. Let it be Hol- 

 stein bull after Holstein bull, nothing but Holstein bulls. We have 

 cited the Holstein merely for the purpose of this illustration. The 

 same plan must be used, no matter what the breed is. 



We may expect, after a few top-crosses in upgrading, that the progeny 

 will resemble the type of the sires used in improvement, quite closely, 

 both as to form and general characteristics ; in fact, so much so that the 

 high grade may eventually equal the pure blood improver from a stand- 

 point of utility in meat or milk making, as the case may be. There is 

 some question as to the number of crosses that must be produced before 

 this high standard of excellence will be secured in the grade. This 

 will be somewhat dependent on the duration of the purity of the im- 

 proving blood, the prepotency of the individual sires, and the plasticity 

 of the common females. Instances are on record where ideal high 

 grades have resulted from the third cross ; in general, one would be safe 

 in counting on at least the fifth. We must not, however, lose sight of 

 of the fact that while a high grade may eventually equal the improving 

 breed from a standpoint of meat or milk making, that it can never be 

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