BEEEDING DAIRY CATTLE 237 



The individual animal the unit of improvement. — In the 

 improvement of dairy cattle by breeding, the individual must 

 be considered as the unit. This applies to sire and dam 

 alike. The longer the line of high-producing ancestry, the more 

 certain are we that the offspring in turn will be a high producer. 

 The importance of this individual record of performance backed 

 by ancestors with similar records cannot be overestimated. 

 Having satisfied one's self as to the individual excellency of 

 both sire and dam, he must even then be prepared to accept 

 some low-producers, for such is the law of chance, which accom- 

 panies all breeding operations. One may, however, rest as- 

 sured that on the average the offspring of individuals thus care- 

 fully selected will be equal to their parents, and that he will be 

 rewarded by obtaining a few that will exceed the records of 

 their parents. 



PLAN or BREEDING 



If one is to succeed in breeding dairy cattle, he must proceed 

 according to some well-adapted plan. Before deciding on 

 a plan, one should familiarize himself with the details of the 

 business. This can best be done by visiting and making a study 

 of dairy farms both successful and unsuccessful. Compare all 

 farms thus observed, note the difference, the causes that led 

 to success on one, and to failure on the other. No sugges- 

 tions can be given as to a working plan, as all will depend 

 on the local conditions. The intending breeder should take 

 into account his likes and dislikes. Some may prefer the heavy 

 milking breeds, others the high butter-fat-producing breeds. 

 It should be kept clearly in mind, whatever the class or breed 

 chosen, that none but superior cattle are to be considered if 

 highest success is to be attained. 



Raise the heifer calves from the best cows. — Many dairymen 

 are not raising their heifer calves. They are sold for veal, 

 whether from high- or low-producing cows. Near large cities 



