CARE AND FEEDING OF DAIRY CATTLE. 



17 



The reason why a pure-bred animal is more likely to transmit good dairy 

 qualities and improve the production of the herd is that the pure breeds have been 

 bred generation after generation along the same lines. The longer this has been 

 carried on, the more firmly fixed are the desirable characteristics, with the greater 

 certainty of their transmission to the offspring. 



It must be remembered, however, that all breeds have been improved from the 

 original common or wild stock. The greater the improvement made, the greater is 

 the tendency to revert to the original type. This " drag of the average " makes 

 continued improvement more and more difficult past a certain point. If a cheap 

 grade or scrub sire is used, the chances are that progress will be in the wrong 

 direction. But it may be said that almost any pure-bred bull with good milking 

 ancestry will improve a mixed herd or one of poor dairy quality. 



Even pure-bred bulls vary greatly in their ability to pass on the desirable points 

 of the breed to their offspring. Prepotent bulls sires that transmit good dairy 

 quality to a marked degree are rare, and exceedingly valuable to any breeder. 

 Too often such bulls are disposed of before the owner has time to discover their 



Ayrshire bull, " Hobsland Perfect Piece." 



worth in their offspring. A bull should be kept if possible until his capabilities are 

 known. It pays also to try out a young animal on a few cows before finally adopt- 

 ing him as the herd bull. The only way to try out a dairy bull is to breed from 

 him and then see what his offspring will do at the pail. 



AGE OF BULL TO SELECT. 



Instead of buying a young untried bull, as is the general practice, it will often 

 pay a farmer to look around for an aged bull for sale by a reputable breeder. 



A young animal is generally preferred, however, being more easily handled and 

 shipped. There is also danger of an aged bull being an uncertain breeder, due to 

 lack of exercise, and there is the further risk of introducing contagious abortion into 

 the herd. 



