360 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



ting a good bull is only a part of the farmer's troubles in keeping him. It 

 is not so strange, then, as it seems to the breeder with a good herd or to the 

 editor of a stock journal that farmers are slow to invest in good bulls. Any- 

 thing that will get calves to sell for veal and to bring the cows fresh meets 

 the farmer's wants. 



With this condition of things so common it is not strange that farmers 

 are so slow to invest in good bulls. The condition makes it difficult to 

 interest them in the subject, but their ground is so untenable that they 

 must sooner or later see that there is abetter way, as it is clear their sticking 

 to the mongrel and inbreeding no longer pays. The keeping of cattle is a 

 necessity in the older states if the fertility of the farms is to be kept up. 

 Many farmers are recognizing this and are going into the milk business, as 

 that gives them quick cash returns, increases the manure supply, and where 

 the milk or cream goes to a creamery relieves the women of much hard 

 work. Unfortunately they have not gone far enough to see the need of 

 raising better cows to improve the quality and quantity of milk. 



The time is here when better bulls must be kept to bring farms up to a 

 paying standard. Improvement does not follow the use of mongrel or cross- 

 bred bulls, nor can we hope for permanent or real improvement except 

 by the persistent use of pure bred bulls of good individuality. By persistent 

 use we do not mean using the same bull for years in the same herd and on 

 his own offspring, but never to use anything but a pure-bred and continu- 

 ously of the same breed. We know men who think they have advanced 

 ideas, who always use a pedigreed bull, but unfortunately they do not stick to 

 one breed and their herds are only mongrels after years of effort. 



It is not enough for the dairyman to use only bulls of some of the dairy 

 breeds, or the beef grower to use only bulls of the beef breeds. The farmer 

 who keeps a few cows is up against a real difficulty when he tries to keep a 

 pure-bred bull. He must have more than common cows or many of them 

 to justify the buying and keeping a high-priced bull. If he has neighbors 

 who will pay a suitable fee for service he may be able to come out even and 

 have the satisfaction of seeing his and his neighbor's cattle improved. But 

 he must be a man of more enterprise and ambition than the average if he 

 persists in his good undertaking. A trial by such a man has paved the way 

 for interesting two or three of his neighbors so that they will join him in the 

 purchase of a bull. They can thus buy even a better one and by the 

 increased use on their own herds and herds of the neighborhood the good 

 bull pays for himself in one or two years. Such a bull can safely be used 

 by his owners for three years or until his produce is ready to breed, which 

 makes the investment all the better. If the bull is an impressive sire it is a 

 pity to sacrifice him for bologna beef, but so long as farmers fail to recognize 

 the value of such a bull and prefer to try the best calf or a cheaper yearling 

 it is difficult to continue his usefulness. 



That combination among small farmers is the best way to get the use of 

 good pure-bred bulls we firmly believe. It not only makes the burden 

 lighter on each but helps to promote a public spirit in the work of stock im- 

 provement which is of great value in the community. The ideal community 

 is approached when every farmer in it is interested and will use a bull of the 

 chosen breed of the neighborhood. When the farmers of any township or 

 county once agree upon combining on one breed and use only pure-bred 



