DAIRYING 55 



749. Observations reported from the Missouri Agricultural 

 College showed that 10 daughters of a dairy sire produced an 

 average of 110 pounds butter fat per cow more than their mothers, 

 while 10 daughters of a scrub sire produced an average of 216 

 pounds butter fat per cow, which was 18 pounds butter fat per 

 cow less than their mothers produced per cow. The Indiana Ex- 

 periment Station reports an average of 64 pounds more butter fat 

 per cow from herds in which pure-bred sires were used than in 

 those not using such sires ; the butter from the improved herd was 

 also produced at a cost of S 1 /^ cents less per pound than in the un- 

 graded herd. 



750. An increase of 100 pounds butter per cow at 30 cents 

 amounts to $30 per year, and this for a herd of even 10 cows means 

 a difference of $300 per year which the pure-bred sire would earn 

 for even a small herd. If such a sire is used in the herds for an 

 association of farmers he would be a profitable investment, even 

 if he cost $1000, while the sire that failed to increase the milk pro- 

 duction in the different generations of cows would not be worth 

 anything as the milk flow from the cows would be constantly 

 diminishing. 



751. In selecting a sire, the records of his ancestors should 

 cover more than a short period of 10 to 30 days, as these may be 

 misleading, but annual records will show a substantial basis on 

 which to base one's judgment of the milk producing qualities of 

 his family. 



The age of a sire is not a safe standard by which to measure 

 his value in a dairy herd. An aged bull whose daughters have 

 satisfactory milking records is better than a young one without 

 a record, and a young bull should not be condemned if he has good 

 ancestors, until the records of his daughters have been obtained. 



The power to transmit characteristics to the offspring is 

 something that must be determined for each individual, as this 

 is not a universal trait in all animals. It is much stronger with 

 some animals than with others, even of the same family. 



COMMUNITY BREEDERS' ASSOCIATIONS. 



"52. There are many advantages to be obtained by co-opera- 



