DOES LIVE STOCK PAY? 71 



animal that will not mature quickly, will not breed 

 well, will not produce large quantities of milk con- 

 taining a high percentage of butterfat, is an unprofit- 

 able proposition. Scrub stock is unsatisfactory in 

 more ways than one. Uniformity cannot be se- 

 cured, early maturity is impossible, the maximum 

 utilization of feed cannot be secured, so that the 

 only possible way out of the difficulty is for the 

 modern farmer to make up his mind to keep nothing 

 but superior animals. 



This is not as difficult a proposition as one would 

 at first suppose. It is not beyond the means of 

 any farmer to start and build up a profitable herd 

 in any branch of live stock. Of course, I do not 

 advise every man to spend a lot of money in start- 

 ing a pure-bred herd, buying high price animals, 

 but a profitable working herd may be built up with- 

 out very much expense. Take, for example, dairy 

 cows. If you already have a herd of 20 cows, test 

 these carefully and retain only those that pay their 

 board. Replace the ones disposed of by purchas- 

 ing good, vigorous, thrifty, prolific cows of known 

 value. Then buy a pure-bred bull of good in- 

 dividuality. When the calves come, retain only 

 those which give promise of rapid growth and 

 early maturity. When they come into milking, 

 test them at once, and if they do not come up to the 

 standard, throw them out. Decide on what breed 

 you like and buy a bull of that breed. If you want 

 to keep Jerseys get good Jersey cows, or at least 

 a good grade, and keep a first-class Jersey bull. 

 In four or five years you will have a herd of cows 

 that cannot fail to return a profit. 



With horses it is even easier. Buy up as many 

 roomy, thrifty mares as you want. They need not 

 be pure-bred animals, but see that each individual 



