1G8 Journal of Agriculture, Vict.oi-ia. [10 March, 1917. 



As the milking life of a cow can be safely placed at six years, and these 

 heifers had an annual increase each of 50 lbs. fat, or 300 lbs. in the six 

 years, at Is. per lb., £15. 



The lieifers yielded an additional £15 as the result of 10s. 8d. 

 expended in the pure sire. When this £15 is placed on each of the 

 thirty heifers, the total increase is £450, as the result of selecting a bull 

 that had the power of transmitting the producing qualities to his off- 

 spring. When we think of the first cost of £50, it is infinitesimal when 

 compared with the ultimate result. 



Can any other item in farming sliow a better profit 1 Considering the 

 male calves as of no more value than those sired by the scrub, and the 

 remaining heifer calves on the same level, it is a splendid investment. 

 It really pays as nothing else pays to put £50 into the purchase of the 

 right kind of sire that will return nine times £50 in the course of three 

 years of service. 



When it comes to the production of milk the profits are =till greater. 

 If the pure sire was the means of increasing Lhe heifer's production by 

 li lbs. a millcing^ in the course of 300 days this would mean 900 lbs., at 

 8d. a gallon, £3 per head, or £18 in six years, making £540 total increase 

 for thirty cows sired by the selected bull. 



A herd of forty cows is taken as an illustration, while a vigorous sire, 

 properly fed and managed, kept apart from the herd, is capable of sixty 

 cows. There is another distinct improvement of the good sire's daughter, 

 besides her milk production, and it is the improvement of her blood for 

 breeding, by which her daughters should be still better producers. This 

 improvement of all the daughters accumulated through a series of years 

 means a remarkable increase in the efficiency of the herd. 



It is the experience of all dairymen who have used a really good dairy 

 sire, that the investment has made them splendid returns. 



But a great amount of attention must be paid to the sire's selection 

 as regards "family production, breeding, and constitutional fitness. The 

 £50 cost price looks " too big " only to the narrow vision that cannot 

 see the natural improvement of the herd certain to follow. Many a 

 farmer might have reason to say he cannot afford to pay a big price for 

 a fine cow, but the same argument dees not hold good in the pui'chase 

 of an improved sire, because the sire's influence spreads so much further 

 and faster than the cow's. 



If the heifer calves are to be raised for dairy purposes, there is no 

 business reason for keeping a mongrel bull. The dairymen who think 

 there is pay a heavy price annually for maintaining that tradition. 



The crossbred bull is the most expen.'iive animal on the farm ; he does 

 not remain at being worthless, but will lose the farmer the price of a 

 good bull every year he is kept. The dairymen cannot afford to keep 

 mongrel bulls if they were given them, and if they they were paid a 

 premium to keep them ; they are only fit for sausage meat, and it is high 

 time this plain and simple truth were given practical acceptance on every 

 farm . 



The presence of so many crossbred bulls in the State — many timeu 

 without a single qualification, except that they are males — is an offence 

 and disgrace to the dairy business — a plain advertisement of the dairy ■ 

 men's thoughtless bid for failure. By all means secure a good dairy 

 sire, if you have to sell two or three cows to do it. The imnroved s're ii, 

 without question, the most economical investment in any dairy herd. 



