2 UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE 



will profit by the successes and mistakes of their fellow producers. 

 Thus may community breeding form the basis for demonstrations in 

 breeding, especially in livestock improvement. The growth of the 

 Harmony Shorthorn Breeding Circle in Northwest Missouri, which 

 started with twelve members and in a little more than a year grew 

 to fifty, shows how the spirit of community livestock improve- 

 ment may develop. All members of this organization use Shorthorn 

 bulls and own, or plan to own, one or more registered cows. 



Helps the Small Breeder. Certain improvement, uniformly good 

 individuals, and constructive breeding are the results of mating fe- 

 males with superior sires. Small breeders and those just beginning 

 in the breeding business frequently find the best sires apparently 

 too expensive. As a result such breeders must either be satisfied w r ith 

 mediocre sires, pay a heavy service fee for a good one, or co-operate 

 in the purchase of a sire. Unfortunately, too many choose the eas- 

 iest and ultimately, the most disastrous route the cheap, inferior 

 sire. In most instances a few sacrifices in personal fancies, regard- 

 ing type and character and in convenience in breeding, will afford 

 the use of a good sire. Organized community breeding offers oppor- 

 tunities for the small breeder to improve his herd and flock by the use 

 of the best sires, owned co-operatively. The disadvantages, such as 

 possible transmission of disease, can be controlled. 



Exchange of Sires. Community breeding offers further oppor- 

 tunity thru the exchange of sires. While using mature sires fre- 

 quently does not appeal to some persons, it should be remembered 

 that their real value seldom becomes known until their get have 

 developed. This means that many sires are disposed of before their 

 value is known. Constructive breeding and permanent improvement 

 are the results of keeping the best healthy, tried sires of good dis- 

 position and exchanging them within the communities. Aside from 

 the economic consideration this is another step in constructive breed- 

 ing. The secretary of the local breeders' organization should have 

 a record of every sire and his performance and make this available 

 to each member. 



Affords Co-operative Marketing. Perhaps the most outstanding 

 advantage of community breeding is the opportunity for disposing of 

 surplus stock. In offering livestock for sale other things being equal, 

 the individual or community which offers large numbers to select 

 from usually is visited first. For this reason organized community 



