CHAPTER IV. 



SELECTION OF DAIRY SIRES. 



The importance of the dairy sire is recognized in the 

 expression, ''The bull is half the herd." Usually, how- 

 ever, the bull is more than half the herd, either for good 

 or bad. In the case of common or grade cows, for 

 example, the pure-bred bull may count for three-quarters 

 or more of the herd, by reason of his greater prepotency. 

 To so great an extent does the bull determine the improve- 

 ment or deterioration of the herd as to call for the utmost 

 caution in his selection, which should be based upon the 

 following: (i) purity of breeding; (2) pedigree; (3) 

 type; (4) prepotency; and (5) health. 



Purity of Breeding. Under no circumstances should 

 anything but pure-bred sires be used. The value of purity 

 of breeding has already been discussed under the selection 

 of the dairy cow. It should be understood, however, 

 that purity of breeding is of greater consequence in bulls 

 than in cows, for the reason that improvement in the herd 

 is usually expected to be brought about through the dairy 

 sire. 



Pedigree. In the case of a dairy bull, especially a 

 young bull, his chief value is determined by the perform- 

 ance of his ancestry. The points of greatest importance 

 to consider in his pedigree are the following: (i) the 

 merit of his mother and his sire's mother; (2) the merit 

 of the daughters of his sire and grand sire; (3) the 

 value of the daughters of his dam and his grand-dam; 



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