FIRST CALF AS A SIRE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1698, 14 March 1913, Page 8

FIRST CALF AS A SIRE.

AN INTERESTING. POINT. Writing in regard to the question of tho relative merits of the first bull calf us a sire, Mr. E. Davenport, of the University of Illinois, has the following to say :— '.'I know of no experiments having been conducted to demonstrate whether tluo bull which is a first calf is in any way inferior on that account. The Illinois Dairy Department has made considerable study of the advanced registry of the Holstein-Friesian and Guernsey records, and is unable to find any data which would throw any further light upon tho question beyond the bare statement of Superintendent Gardner of the HolstcinFriesian. association that a cow would never produce 40 pounds of butter in a week' unless she had five generations of mature" ancestors. This assertion is not supported by evidence. 4 '' Indeed, Professor Eraser writes that a Holstein cow has recoutly: produced 42 pounds of* butter in a weolc, and about fin If of her ancestors within five generations were under maturity, and many of them were two-year-olds. . , "Breeders do not discriminate against a first calf so far as I know, excepting ; in the sense that the value of a dairy sire depends very much upon, tho record his dam has made, and any salo of that sire i before the record has been made would be at a much lower figure than for an equally good calf from a dam with a record. The price would be lower than asked for the same or different animal after the dam has made a record.. Further, than this I know of no discrimination against the first calf other than tho popular notion that the first-born is not so vigorous as are those of later birth.