BREEDS OF BEEF CATTLE 277 



inherent vigor of type, race or individual; (4) line breeding. To 

 illustrate the first point; it is well known that it matters little with 

 what breed or type a Holstein bull is mated, the offspring is almost 

 sure to resemble the sire markedly in characteristics, and particularly 

 in color; it is doubtful if any breed of cattle has been bred pure 

 for a longer period than the Holstein, and the inherent vigor of the 

 breed is indisputable. The ability of the Hereford, also, to transmit 

 uniformly its characteristic color markings, especially the white face, 

 is an evidence of prepotency, the result of a long period of pure 

 breeding. In selecting a prepotent sire, it is well to study the pedi- 

 gree and ascertain as far as possible what is known relative to the- 

 performance of the ancestry as breeders, for an animal the progeny 

 of prepotent ancestry, is certainly likely to be more prepotent than 

 an animal whose ancestors have not been prepotent. 



BREEDERS SHOULD CO-OPERATE. 



It would seem highly desirable that some forms of co-operation, 

 in breeding methods, should be established by communities, such for 

 instance as the joint ownership and use of males by several parties 

 rather than one. In theory this proposition sounds well, but in ac- 

 tual practice it has not worked satisfactorily in the majority of in- 

 stances, as illustrated by the universally undesirable results from the 

 formation of stock companies in the ownership of stallions. In this 

 instance, however, it is only fair to venture the assertion that the 

 initial troubles among these companies is generally the fault of the 

 organizer or promoter, the seller of males, who unloads something on 

 the company that does not prove satisfactory. One cannot conceive 

 of any logical reasons why several men in a community could not 

 form, a co-partnership in the ownership and use of good sires. If 

 such a plan could be followed, the good influences of superior sires 

 would become more far reaching and fewer males in all would be 

 needed than in the case of individual ownership. At present pedi- 

 greed males are usually introduced into a community by individuals. 

 These men usually possess small herds and the one sire could be used 

 upon a number of other herds providing the neighboring owners 

 could but see the advantage to be gained thereby. But at present the 

 man who introduces a good male and offers his services at a reason- 

 able price, does not greatly benefit his community, as the prevailing 

 practice is to patronize the sire offered at the smallest fee, and this 

 is always the grade or scrub. The scrub is likely to flourish and con- 

 tinue to be used until such time as national or state legislation places 

 a prohibitive tax on him. The form of co-operation discussed would 

 ho particularly suited to thickly settled communities where the farms 

 and holdings of cattle are small, and consequently close together. 

 In general, it is the men with the smaller holdings of cattle who 

 resort most to mixed breeding, and who are in greatest need of good 

 sires. 



It is highly desirable for the various breeders in a community 

 to co-operate in other ways in addition to that just referred to. Great 

 advantages would accrue from unity of purpose and methods in 

 breeding. One of the great difficulties existing today is found in the 



