THE DAIRY SIRE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4746, 3 September 1924, Page 1

THE DAIRY SIRE.

—-—• — THE FACTOR IN THE HERD. Second only to feeding is the ques-* tion of breeding. We have heard so many times the trite expression that “the sire is one-halC of the herd.” If the history of our progress in breeding is to be the criterion, we must concede the truth of the expression with an added qualification that the sire is “frequently more.” As we scan the pages of breed history" we are impressed with the number of sires which have stamped their individuality so indelibly on their progeny that-they have been designated fountain heads of breed families, or even iiew breeds. The prepotency of the sire in fixing and transmitting desirable characteristics is verified in innumerable, instances with all classes of: live stock. In view of the importance of sires, it would seem from a purely business Standpoint that greater care should be exercised in their selection, and when a good one is found his services should be utilised to full capacity, and the progeny given every opportunity to -prove their merits. In ascertaining the value of a dairy sire we have a very accurate and; complete unit of measurement, namely, the milk-scales and Babcock test. When other conditions are comparable it is possible to gauge in a most accurate manner the prepotency of a, side to increase the milk and fat production in his progeny. It seems well-nigh unbelievable that stock-raisers should continue using a scrub, grade, or even “scrub purebred” sire, in view of the convincing and conclusive data which is available to show the merits of good purebred sires when mated with scrub purebred cows. Authorities are agreed that a good purebred sire is the surest, quickest, and cheapest method of increasing the production of a - dairy herd for the average farmer. Perhaps, when our breeding practices have progressed to the stage where characters become so fixed that they are transmitted to their offspring in each case, and a large, percentage of the sires possess these desirable characters, we need not practice such care in the selection of the site. When the character of heavy milk production has become as. dominant as the white face- in the Hereford we can be reasonably sure when we mate two animals of high-producing tendencies that the offspring will be a high producer. We would be very much chagrined should we mate a purebred Hereford bull and get a black-faced calf. It only seems reasonable that other characters could become fixed so that they will transmit with equal accuracy. This goal in live-stock breeding cannot be reached by the practice which is followed by so many of our breeders at the present time. Some system Qf

breeding which will accomplish the results sought must be inaugurated and followed until the desirable characters have become fixed to such a degree that they will be transmitted •in nearly all cases. The failure to do so ishculd be the exception rather than lhe rule. We are cognisant of such peusistency in transmission of characters in the case of mating polled animals with animals which naturally have horns. Many other instances could be given to indicate that it is possible to fix characters to such a degree that their failure to breed true would be rare indeed. —The Dairy farmer.