lo March, 1909.] The Dairy Bull. i33 



now recognises the value of pure-bred stock with a milking pedigree, and 

 many find it more profitable to raise their own bulls for breeding stock than 

 to buv them as re(quired. The former method unquestionably opens up 

 more opportunities for improvement, but ever\- one is not gifted with a 

 faculty for stock-breeding, and many have not the inclination. Breeders 

 of high-class dairy stock are, however, sufficiently numerous in Victoria 

 to allow of everv' dairyman obtaining a pure-bred bull at a reasonable 

 figure to improve the quality of his milking herd. This being so, it_ is 

 regrettable to note that the use of mongrel bulls and bulls of inferior 

 breeding is causing the dairying industry of this State thousands of pounds' 

 worth of loss annually. 



The persistent intermixing of the various breeds and grades of cattle 

 in many dairy herds is probably the result of the old-time teaching that 

 cross-bred stock were hardier than those pure bred. The error in this 

 arises from the fact that pure-bred stock were handled much differently 

 years ago than they are now ; but the old-time ideas still live. Dairy stock 

 are not now pampered and forced for the show-ring. The judges do not 

 look for it. The pure-bred show stock of the present day are strong, 

 hardy animals, that for the most part of the vear are treated the same as 

 the rest of the dairy stock, with a little extra feeding and grooming as 

 show day approaches. At the shows the prize-takers aie strong, robust 

 cattle, and continuous breeding from sound-constitutioned stock has given 

 us pure-bred animals as hardy as can be desired. The milking capa- 

 bHities of the present-dav pure-bred dairy stock is also beyond question. 

 Occasionally a cross-bred or grade animal is found that is an extra heavy 

 producer. That this is not due to the actual crossing is demonstrated 

 by the variability shown in cross-bred animals as compared with pure stock. 

 Such dairying qualities as occur in cross-bred cows are due to the influence 

 of some pure-bred stock from which they have .sprung, and which the 

 effect of crossing has failed to annul. It is amongst pure-bred stock that 

 consistent milk production and evenness of quality generally are most in 

 evidence ; and the proportion of deep milkers amongst pure-bred stock is 

 considerably greater than amongst crossbreds. Even if it were possible to 

 consistently obtain good milking stock from first crosses, the maintenance of 

 pure herds is essential to the continued production of first crosses ; and the 

 keeping of pure-bred animals to breed first cross stock is \-erv like taking one 

 step forward and slipping back two. The crossing of pure breeds of dair\' 

 cattle to produce milking stock has. therefore, nothing to recommend it. 



With two such profitable milking breeds of cattle as the Jersey and 

 Ayrshire in large numbers in the State, there is no reasonable excuse for 

 any dairyman using a cross-bred bull. Both of these breeds are long 

 established, and have been developed by breeders solely for dairv work. 

 On this account, bulls of these breeds stand far before those of any other 

 class of stock at present in the State in their suitability for improving 

 ordinary farm herds from a dairying stand-point. The longer a breed is 

 established the more fixed are its characteristics, and the more prepotent 

 may we expect the males to be in stamping their good qualities on their 

 progeny. When, therefore, a stock-owner wishes to improve his cattle for 

 dairy w'ork the use of a pure-bred bull from dairying stock is an absolute 

 necessity. To endeavour to attain the desired end wdth a cross-bred 

 animal will inevitably result in failure ; and it is significant that it is 

 from the users of inferior breeding stock that we inyarial)ly hear the com- 

 plaint that " dairying does not pav." 



