CO-OPERATIVE BULL ASSOCIATIONS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 113, 5 February 1918, Page 8

CO-OPERATIVE BULL ASSOCIATIONS

Co-operative Bull Associations appear to nave "caught on" in the United States, although for some yeare their growth was slow, says a writer in the "Live Stock Journal." The movement lias grown from one such association in Michigan,' formed in 1908, and now extends to fifteen States. A report from* "Washington shows'that in--1916 there were thirty-two such associations, these having a membership of 650, and owning 120 purebred bulls. ; The report summarises the experience gained in the-piatter to date. The history of the movement, it states, "shows that it is especially adapted to small herds where a valuable bull for each herd would constitute too large a percentage of the total investment. Thus the organisation enables even the owners of small herds to unite in the purchase of one good bull,'and each to own a share in a registered sire of high quality." This is much the same as what experience has taught us for many years in this country. There is, however, a wrinkle for some districts in the description of how some of these associations work so as to cover a fairly large area. The typical co-operative bull association, as organised in America, we are told, "is composed of fifteen to thirty farmers,, and jointly holds live bulls, its territory inlo five breeding blocks, and assigns one bull-to each block. As 'many as fifty or_ sixty cows may belong to,the farmers in eaoh block, and the bull in the block is kept on a farm conveniently situated. The blocks are numbered from one to five, and to prevent inter-breeding each bull, is moved to tlie next block every two years. If all the bulls live, and if all are kept until each has made one complete circuit, do new bulls need be purchased for ten years. In this way, by paying only part of the purchase price of one bull, each member of tho association has the uso of good purebred bulls for many years. Ordinarily the purchase price and the expense of supporting the bulls are distributed among the members of the association according to tho number of cows kept by each." An advanced step, which lias not yet been taken by any association, is strongly recommended. This is the purchase of an exceptionally good bullto mate with the best cows in the herds of every; block. A review of the work done also leads to a bit Qf advice. This is that purebred bulls are not all equally" valuable. The daughters of some are much inferior to their dams, while the daughters of others_ greatly excel their dams. The bull, it is urged, "should always bo superior to the best cows of the herd. Cows should ho well bred and' carefully selected, but the bulls should be even better bred than the cows, and still more carefully selected."