34 
farmers' BULLETIN 993. 
Such a tried or tested bull can be depended upon with great cer¬ 
tainty to cause improvement in the herds in the bull association. The 
owner of a tried bull, however, usually knows the records of the 
animal’s daughters and rightfully asks a high price for him. The 
high cost often makes the members hesitate to purchase such bulls for 
the association, and instead they buy younger and untried bulls whose 
7 %/ CD 
ancestors have made good production records. No bulls should be 
purchased for an association except from one of these two classes. 
Considering the records of ancestors, the most important are those 
of the sire and dam. In the case of the sire, production record is 
taken as the average of all his daughters’ records. Very often the 
records of some of the ancestors are lacking, but every effort should 
be made to obtain bulls whose ancestors in the first two generations 
CD 
have an average yearly record of at least 400 pounds of butterfat at 
maturity. 
The State agricultural college may be in a position to assist in 
looking up pedigrees and records and always should be consulted. As 
soon as the 11101163 ?" can be provided for the purpose, it is advisable 
for the association to obtain a set of Advanced Register or Register 
of Merit books and, if possible, a set of breed-registry books of the 
breed used, both of which are valuable for the reference of all the 
members of -the association. Information regarding the cost of 
advanced-register and breed-registry books may be obtained from 
the breed associations as follows: , 
American Jersey Cattle Club, 324 West Twenty-third Street, New York, N. Y. 
American Guernsey Cattle Club, Peterboro, N. H. 
Holstein-Friesian Association of America. Brattleboro, Vt 
Ayrshire Breeders’ Association, Brandon, AT. 
Brown-Swiss Cattle Breeders’ Association, Beloit, A\ r is. 
In choosing the bulls careful attention should be given to the line 
of breeding represented in their pedigrees. Efforts should be made 
to select bulls that have the same family lines in order that line breed¬ 
ing may be practiced when the bulls are exchanged. Before the bulls 
are finally purchased plenty of time should be given to selecting the 
line of breeding desired. 
Although records of production are of great importance it is very 
necessary also that the bulls selected have plenty of strength, great 
vigor, and good body conformation. If the members are not ex- 
perienced in buying cattle it is Avell to ask the State agricultural col¬ 
lege for advice and assistance in making the selection. When bulls 
are purchased merely on the production record of their ancestors 
better values can often be obtained by purchasing young bulls rather 
than mature ones. In buying calves or young bulls, however, the cost 
of raising them to maturity must be considered. After the associa¬ 
tion has been in operation for some time it can often buy young bulls 
