THE DAIRY BULL.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 445, 6 March 1912, Page 6

THE DAIRY BULL.

If the bull is properly taken care of—provided he is healthy and sound constitutionally— he ought to be in better condition and ought to be much more vigorous at four years of age than he is at one year or eighteen months. There is no way of accurately judging the value of a dairy sire until his heifers mature as cows. This could be when they are. two years old, and this will make the bull "five years old: in other words, he should not be used for service until he is three years old. We want individuality; we want performance in ancestry or a good pedigree; but above all we want a sire that will transmit these desirable qualities to his female offspring, and how can we tell this until the heifers are old enough to be judged at the milk pail? No promising dairy sire ought to be disposed of until he is five years old. Then, if he does not prove to be what one desires, the sooner he is disposed of the better. On the other hand, if he does prove to be a valuable sire, the longer he is kept the better for the herd.