106 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION 



When buyers of dairy cattle want Guernseys, or Jer- 

 seys, or Holsteins, or Ayrshires, or Brown Swiss they go 

 to those districts where there are large numbers of ani- 

 mals of their chosen breed. Therefore, by encouraging the 

 building up of many herds of the same breed in a commun- 

 ity the bull association brings a better sale of surplus stock. 



A Great Loss in Dairying 



Probably the greatest loss in dairying results from 

 killing a large percentage of our best purebred bulls before 

 their true value has been determined through the produc- 

 tion records of the daughters. The well-managed bull as- 

 sociation prevents this slaughter in its members* herds. 

 This work should be extended by organizing many bull as- 

 sociations. Instead of hundreds, these organizations should 

 be numbered in tens of thousands, and they should ex- 

 tend into every agricultural district in this country, 



One reason given for killing these bulls is that they 

 had become a dangerous menace to human life. There 

 is a saying that it is usually the so-called harmless bull that 

 kills his keeper, and that "the only safe bull is a dead bull." 

 It may be truthfully said that the only safe living bull is 

 the one that is kept continually in a properly built bull pen. 

 Painstaking precautions should therefore be used at all 

 times. Plans for a pen that will actually keep the bull where 

 he can do no harm may be obtained from the State colleges 

 of agriculture or from the United States Department of 

 Agriculture. 



There may be other ways of saving good bulls than 

 through the work of the bull associations; ways that are 

 better adapted to certain dairy districts and that will ap 

 peal to many dairymen, but the goal is always the same: 

 The saving of all well-bred sires until their true value is 

 known in order that the dairy herds may be improved. 



The plan that will bring about this desired result will 

 accomplish much for the dairy world. It will cut the cost 

 of production on our dairy farms and gradually but cer- 

 tainly eliminate a great loss in dairying. 



