3l6 MISSOURI AGRICULTURAL RErORT. 



QUESTION BOX. 



Q. (By Mr. Curry) — What advice can an experienced person give 

 a man who has never had any experience as a dairyman regarding- the 

 selection of his cows. 



A. (By Mr. Glover) — That is a difficult question to answer. Id 

 the first place much depends upon the individual liking. Have you 

 studied any particular breed or formed any opinion as to what kind of 

 breed you would like? 



Mr. Curry — Yes, for two years. 



Mr. Glover — Have you any liking for any particular breed? Select 

 one of the four dairy breeds which have already been developed ; there 

 is no excuse for trying to breed up one of your own. You could take 

 a Hereford and your children would be old before you could make a 

 dairy cow out of her. If you like the Holstein breed select that kind, 

 or the Ayrshire, or Guernsey or Jersey. Study the characteristics of 

 each breed ; we cannot tell any more which one would suit you best 

 than we could tell what kind of a wife you would like to live with. 



Mr. Marple — Mr. Curry is what I call an up-to-date dairyman. He 

 has had two years' experience in dairying. Mr. Curry, what kind of 

 cows have you now? 



Mr. Curry — Mostly Jerseys. 



Mr. Glover — Then continue to buy the best sires you can get, whose 

 mothers, grandmothers and ancestors away back were good performers 

 and vigorous cattle, and keep on with such selection. You will find that 

 you have some scrubs and once in a while an animal that has been 

 bred right that docs not come up to your expectations. Try her a little 

 longer. The Babcock test and scale are only guides in selecting just as 

 conformation is, but an animal that stands a good test with a pedigree 

 back of her is pretty apt to have prepotency. 



Mr. Curry — Would you in-breed? 



Mr. Glover — If I had a vigorous sire that was an excellent animal 

 T would in-breed. I am not as much a believer in in-breeding as per- 

 haps is Mr. Haecker, but at the same time I will say that if you have a 

 good sire you can perhaps fix characteristics more quickly and firmly 

 by in-breeding. Do not run any chances with a sire that has not proven 

 himself. A proven sire is a good thing. 



Mr. Curry — Give me an idea how to pick out a type for a dairy cow. 



Mr. Glover — We could do that better if we had a chart or an indi- 



