228 FARM MANAGEMENT 



a considerable number of animals be kept. This is par- 

 ticularly true, if the animals are very valuable. Suppose 

 that a farmer has cows that are so good that they should 

 be bred to a $500 bull. The cost of keeping such a bull 

 in most dairy sections will be $50 to $75 per year for feed, 

 as much more for labor, barn, and other expenses, and 

 $75 to $125 per year for interest and depreciation. The 

 total annual cost will usually be over $200. If only 10 

 cows are kept, this cost will be $20 per cow, but if thirty 

 cows are kept, the cost will be one-third as much. Only 

 those who have large numbers can afford to have high- 

 priced stock. By having large numbers they reduce the 

 cost of male service and have many animals to be raised 

 in price by the advertising that the valuable animals give. 



If one has the necessary capital and experience it usu- 

 ally pays to keep pure-bred stock. When the right breed 

 of stock is kept, the production is, on the average, con- 

 siderably better than with grades. If the wrong breed is 

 kept, it may be less. A meat breed of hens, when eggs 

 are the important product, is usually worse than common 

 stock. Grade dairy cattle are better than pure-bred 

 shorthorns in a dairy section, but are not so good as pure- 

 breds of a dairy type. The breed selected should usually 

 be the one that is most popular in the region, because the 

 neighbors are usually the best market for the surplus stock. 



Pure-bred stock also requires much more attention than 

 grade stock. It is necessary that both the owner and 

 hired help be much more careful than with common stock. 

 If the stock is very valuable, it becomes exceedingly im- 

 portant that there be no unreliable person about. 



If high-producing pure-bred stock is kept, the cost is 

 much greater than for grades. The chances for large 

 profits, as well as of large losses, are increased. One 



