?88 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE 6tt. t>oc. 



Underlying everything in cattle-breeding is the element of tem- 

 perament. To define temperament, call it an inherited tendency of 

 function. One class of cattle inherit a tendency toward mother- 

 hood in an enlarged degree; these we define as belonging to the milk 

 and butter temperament. Another class inherit a tendency toward 

 flesh-making; these we define as belonging to the beef temperament. 

 As you develop the milking temperament, you decrease the flesh- 

 making tendency and heredity and vice versa. It is so in horses 

 as between the speed temperament and the draught temperament. 

 For fifty years the Shorthorn cattle in this country have been bred 

 steadily to establish the beef temperament. In all that time I have 

 never heard of a Shorthorn sire, which received a premium at a 

 cattle show because of showing that he had inherited, or possessed 

 the dairy form from which, it might be supposed, that he would be- 

 get cows of a dairy quality. So determined have been the Short- 

 horn breeders to extinguish all dairy qualities from their cattle, that 

 they universally judge no sire to be of standard breeding that does 

 not show in form and outline that he is of the most decided beef 

 temperament. 



Yet with all this strong determination to breed as far away 

 from the dairy temperament as possible, our Shorthorn friends are 

 continually talking of "Shorthorns from a milking strain." 



This bold contradiction of all established principles in breeding 

 has caused me to say what I have said for many years on this sub- 

 ject. Is it consistent to steer north and claim we're going south? 

 Is it consistent to breed sires absolutely for the transmission of the 

 beef temperament, rejecting all that show any approach to the dairy 

 farm, and then claim that we are producing a "milking strain?" 



The result of this inconsistent and illogical juggling with fixed 

 principles of heredity is to the effect that the Shorthorn breeders 

 have deceived themselves and have thus misled a great host of 

 farmers throughout the land into buying beef bred sires with which 

 to produce profitable dairy cows. These farmers wanted the best 

 possible cow machine they could get. Dairy expense is too great 

 to take up with any other with a hope of profit and economical pro- 

 duction. 



The organization of creameries and cheese factories all over the 

 land makes it possible to look into this question, as well as many 

 others, that effect the well-being of the dairy farmer. This has 

 been done by the aid of the cow census. "Hoard's Dairyman" has 

 been at this work for several years until its files contain a large 

 number of these special investigations into the working of over 

 twelve hundred herds, supplying milk to creameries for twelve 

 months in the States of Vermont, Connecticut, New York, Pennsyl- 

 vania, Ohio, Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota. 



In the states of New York, Ohio and Wisconsin, several of these 

 census investigations numbering several hundred herds, in each 

 State have been taken. The breeding of every herd, or rather cross- 

 breeding, is given as well as the amount of milk, the butter-fat test, 

 the final earnings per cow at the creamery and the amount of gain, 

 or loss, for every dollar expended in feed. Also an inquiry is made 

 as to the mental status of each farmer, his methods of management, 

 his state of intelligence, what he reads and how he feeds his mind 

 as well as his cattle. 



