8 
FARMERS* BULLETIN 993. 
dairy breeds are sometimes found in the same neighborhood, and 
even on the same farm several dairy breeds and all possible combi¬ 
nations of them are seen. Perhaps one year a Holstein bull is used, 
the next year a Jersey, and occasionally a bull of no particular breed. 
In a grade herd recently studied there were Holsteins, Guernseys, 
Jerseys, Shorthorns, and every possible cross and mixture of these 
breeds. The owner admits that his cattle do not sell to advantage, 
and the reason is not hard to find. 
The bull association encourages the keeping of only one breed on 
the farms of its members and the establishment of that breed in the 
community. 
Fig. 3.—A good type of bull. 
THE INFLUENCE OF HEREDITY. 
/ 
In all bull-association work the influence of heredity is recog¬ 
nized. Since like tends to beget like in production as well as in 
appearance, there is little danger that the pure-bred bull whose 
ancestors for several generations have been first-class individuals 
will inherit or transmit the qualities of some inferior distant an¬ 
cestor. If he is also well formed, strong, and healthy, he will almost 
certainly increase out of all proportion to his cost the income from 
the first generation of a scrub or low-grade herd. In fact the time 
may come when it will be possible to eliminate all bulls except those 
