128 TYPES AND MARKET CLASSES OF LIVE STOCK 



When a scrub female is mated with a purebred male, the 

 offspring is called a grade. If this grade animal is in turn mated 

 with a purebred of the same breed as its own purebred parent, 

 or with one of some other breed, the result will still be a grade. 

 When three or more crosses have been made upon a scrub founda- 

 tion by sires from the same breed, the resulting offspring will 

 possess 87.5 per cent, or more of purebred ancestry and may be 

 referred to as high grades. 



Returning to the point under discussion, cows in market 

 beef breeding herds should be high grades, preferably with all 

 the purebred ancestors members of the same breed. From 

 this breed also, a purebred bull should be selected to mate with 

 the cows, thus insuring a uniform lot of calves for feeding. The 

 herd bull should be selected with great care. It is often said 

 that the "bull is half the herd," and some one has added the 

 equally true statement that "an inferior bull is all of the herd." 

 In breeding all kinds of farm live stock we expect the offspring 

 to be better than the dam, and we rely upon the sire to bring 

 about this improvement. In breeding beef cattle for the market, 

 it is well te have good cows, but it is an absolute essential to 

 have a good bull. We pin our hopes on him. He must be a 

 good individual, he must be purebred, and he should come 

 from a good line of ancestry. These three points are guarantees 

 as to his breeding ability. No progress whatever will be made 

 by using other than a purebred bull and continuing in the same 

 breed when future herd-headers are selected. The grading-up 

 process must be continued, and where this has been done through 

 a number of generations, herds will be found that are, for all 

 intents and purposes, purebred so far as production for the 

 market is concerned. 



One of the most notable examples of the value of purebred 

 bulls as herd improvers is that afforded by the history of cattle 

 breeding on western ranges. Beginning with the old Texas 

 long-horn stock which formed the foundation of range herds, 

 successive crosses of purebred sires brought remarkable im- 

 provement in the beef-making qualities of western cattle. (See 

 Figs. 27 and 28 in preceding chapter.) 



As to what price the breeder is justified in paying for a 

 bull, that will vary depending upon the conditions. Some very 

 satisfactory bulls have been bought at very moderate prices. 

 In grading up western range cattle, high-priced, prize- winning 

 bulls have been purchased in a number of instances and the 



