144 DOMESTIC ANIMALS, DAIRYING, ETC. 



replace his grade cows, almost pure bred, with fully pedigreed and 

 registered animals. This end is reached sooner and easier by start- 

 ing with one or two registered females, and, of course, a registered 

 bull. Moderate investment and the lessened risk of loss in the hands 

 of one unaccustomed to handling registered stock, and finding a mar- 

 ket for the surplus, doubtless favor grades for the dairy herd. The 

 argument and the probabilities of success, based upon the fixed prin- 

 ciples of breeding, are on the side of purebred registered stock. In 

 the hands of experienced men the latter prove the more profitable 

 in actual practice. 



Buying Registered Cattle. In these days any dairyman who 

 wants registered animals of any of the approved breeds can get them 

 if he will but make the effort. The beginner in registered dairy stock 

 can not be too strongly urged to buy and breed on the basis of indi- 

 vidual and family merit and dairy record, and not upon lineage 

 alone. Pedigree that includes both lineage and performance is of 

 value and should be well studied; it is the best guaranty that the 

 calves to come will make good cows. It is also economy, having chosen 

 the right breed, to purchase good representatives of that breed, rather 

 than be content with only average or even ordinary animals. Suc- 

 cessful dairying has proved that the greater profit comes from the 

 best cows, whatever their kind. This is as true of purebred or regis- 

 tered stock as of common cows. It is better to pay $300 for three ex- 

 cellent cows than to pay the same sum for four good cows or five 

 which are only fair. A really superior dairy cow of a superior family, 

 with pedigree which gives assurance of calves equal to the dam, if 

 not better, is always worth a large price. Such an animal adds much 

 to the average value of any dairy herd. In buying registered cattle 

 deal only with men of reputation as breeders and of strict integrity. 



THE BULL AND HIS TREATMENT. 



Selection of the Bull. With any dairyman who depends upon 

 breeding and rearing calves for the maintenance of his herd and its 

 improvement, the choice of a bull is a matter of prime importance. 

 The bull is constantly referred to as the head of the herd, and that 

 trite saying, The bull is half the herd, should never be forgotten. 

 Every calf added to the herd takes half its blood from the bull. 

 Often this is the more important half. The bull is always the main 

 dependence for raising the average quality of the herd, and should be 

 chosen with this object in view. This is especially true if the cows 

 are grades and grading up is in progress. The grade dam may be 

 selected and largely relied upon to give size, form, and constitution to 

 her heifer calf; its dairy qualities may be largely derived from the 

 purebred sire. One cow may prove a poor dam, or fail to breed, and 

 still give a profit in milk. Such a loss is comparatively trivial and 

 the fault easily corrected. But if the 'bull fails, or proves a poor 

 sire, the entire increase of a year may be lost. In getting a bull, get 

 a good one ; or at least approach the ideal as nearly as possible. Make 

 a study of the animal's pedigree and the dairy history of his an- 

 cestors, and especially of the females among his nearest of kin. Then 

 see that the good qualities of his progenitors appear to be reproduced 



