584 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



prepotent, the low cost of his offspring over those of the scrub becomes 

 apparent. 



There are other things, however, just as important as pedigree that 

 must be recognized. The bull purchased should be a good individual. 

 It is poor policy to use an inferior animal simply because his ancestors 

 have been high producers, for it is in his progeny that the purchaser 

 is interested. In choosing a bull from his own individuality one must 

 look for those points of conformation, constitution, a full crest, fine 

 silky hair and pliablie hide. His body should be large and deep with 

 well sprung ribs, indicating feeding capacity. He should not be beefy, 

 and although his hind quarters should not be as thin as those of the 

 cow, yet he should be well cut up in the twist and carry no superfluous 

 fat. 



The importance of the individuality of the sire is well demonstrated 

 by an experiment carried on recently by the Missouri station. A pure 

 bred bull was purchased and used on a large number of cows in the herd. 

 A close record of production was kept on all the cows and it was 

 found that the daughters were not producing as much fat as the dams. 

 The average number of pounds of fat for the dams was 234, while that 

 of the daughters would amount to 216. In six years this loss on thirty 

 daughters would amount to $939.00. After these results were received 

 a second bull was used to replace the first. This animal was much 

 more prepotent to transmit dairy qualities than the previous one, and 

 increased the average production of fat from 220 pounds in the dams 

 to 280 pounds in the daughters. Instead of a loss this sire increased the 

 value of the thirty daughters $2,700 over that of the dains. Still a 

 third bull was used and proved himself much more prepotent to trans- 

 mit dairy qualities than the second. The cows this bull was used on 

 averaged 238 pounds of fat, while their daughters averaged 342 pounds, 

 an increase of ninety-six pounds. The gain in six years on thirty 

 daughters was $4,950. This shows the importance of records, and 

 demonstrates how a large number of the common herds are being ruined 

 because of the ignorance or neglect of the owners. 



In both the beef and dairy herds we find the heads of most of the 

 herds purchased when but two years old. People do not seem to recognize 

 the importance of the tried and mature bull. It is true that the young 

 bull is much cheaper and can be used for a much longer time, yet we 

 know nothing of his value. At present the bulls are crowded when they 

 are yearlings and two years old, and then sold when three or four years 

 of age because they are considered too cross to be safe. There is no 

 reason why a bull should not be used until ten or twelve years old if 

 he is handled properly and given plenty of exercise while young. The 

 bull is too often confined in the barn. He should have a small lot or 

 should be made to run a tread mill for an hour or more each day. 



It has often been said that the bull is half the herd. This is not only 

 true, but he is a great deal more if grading is carried on in the right 



