FIFTY-FIRST ANNUAL CONVENTION 29 



But if we are in business to make money out of the 

 daughters of our bulls, it is time for us to get away from 

 these great extremes and select sires from ancestors that 

 will produce five hundred pounds of butter fat. 



That is the reason I believe it is true what Professor 

 Reed told you regarding the value of cow testing association 

 records. These cows perform under conditions somewhat 

 similar to your own. I do not believe for a minute that we 

 are going to make any great headway by going out and se- 

 lecting cows out of these high-record dams. In a way we 

 are working against ourselves. Professor Reed told you 

 that you have got to do your part and raise the bull's daugh- 

 ter pretty well. 



When I was down in the South a cow had broken a 

 world's record when she made 1140 pounds of butterfat. 

 And their one hope was if they could only have a son out 

 of that cow. I explained to these people that this cow was 

 probably not as good for that purpose as a more normal 

 cow. If you fellows had that cow and treated her like you 

 treated your own cows, she would not do it. She would not 

 live. That cow could not stand what your cows have got 

 to stand. 



That is the situation. If we will begin satisfying our- 

 selves more with average production in selecting our sires, 

 we will be better off, and as Professor Reed has told you, 

 organize associations and get these sires and keep them long 

 enough to know what their value is. 



A very great mistake we are making is that we refuse 

 to buy sires that have demonstrated what kind of calves 

 they will sire. 



The second mistake we are making is sending a bull to 

 the butcher after he has served his purpose. A very large 

 percentage of the best bulls produced have gone through 

 this channel because men are thoughtless and do not want 

 to be troubled to let a neighbor use the sire for a year or 

 two. Very few live after two or three years old. 



If we would get together in our associations and our 

 communities and buy them jointly and pass them around to 

 the next community and keep them traveling around where 



