656 



Breeding Dairy Cattle. 



[Oct., 



cows got by Bull " C " averaged 6,468 lb. in 38-3 weeks, and 

 failed to equal the record of their dams by 1,533 lb. These 

 figures show conclusively that " A " was much the better bull 

 for breeding purposes; he was, in fact, a bull worthy of a place 

 in the best pedigree Dairy Shorthorn herd in the country. Un- 

 fortunately, following the usual custom, he was sold for slaughter 

 before any of his progeny came into milk. 



Progeny Tests of Bulls. — It is obvious that information from 

 progeny records cannot be obtained in a short time, and that 

 the extended use of bulls which have proved their value 

 involves a change in practice in regard to the age to which bulls 

 are kept. Under ordinary conditions, bulls are used for two to 

 three years, and fattened for slaughter when three to four years 

 old. So long as this practice is continued, the use of tested 

 sires is impossible. With the larger breeds of dairy cattle, a 

 bull will be four to four and a half years old before the oldest of 

 his heifers calve down, and about five years old before they com- 

 plete a lactation period. It may be possible to form a reliable 

 opinion as to the lack of dairy qualities of these heifers by their 

 poor udder development before, and low milk yield just after, 

 calving, but, if the heifers promise well, it is not possible to dis- 

 tinguish between the good and the very good until well on in 

 the lactation period. The progeny test, therefore, can only 

 give information in terms of milk yield for bulls of five years 

 and over, and to be of maximum value the bulls must be healthy 

 and active for some time thereafter. 



In herds of pedigree stock, it is not. uncommon to find bulls 

 kept for as many years as they retain their usefulness, but the 

 dairy farmer with non-pedigree cows sees many difficulties in 

 keeping a bull until he is five years' old. If the farmer is to 

 avoid in-breeding, a second bull must be bought to serve the 

 progeny of the first one, and few herds are large enough to 

 warrant the keeping of two bulls ; while old bulls occasionally 

 develop bad tempers and become dangerous to handle, but this 

 difficulty may largely be overcome by more careful housing, 

 handling and regular exercise. Further, the possibility that, 

 should the progeny test show the bull to be very deficient in 

 power to transmit dairy qualities, the cost of two additional years' 

 keep will be incurred without any return, makes farmers less 

 willing to undertake the trial. 



The most economical solution of this difficulty appears to lie 

 in the co-operation of two or more neighbouring farmers. Two 

 promising bulls might be purchased for two herds, on the under- 

 standing that during the first three years they should be used 



