BUYING A BULL.

Putaruru Press, Volume VII, Issue 269, 3 January 1929, Page 8

BUYING A BULL.

TYPE AND PRODUCTION. There are many important factors to be considered by dairymen when purchasing a herd bull. First of all, care should be taken to get the individuality that is needed in the members of the herd. While the breeding and individuality indicate fairly accurtaely the sire’s ability to reproduce. these qualities in his offspring, the record of his dam and her immediate ancestry as well as the production record of his sire will determine this more accurately. On the other hand,. some buy the herd sire almost solely on production ’records, paying little or no attention, to individuality or to whether or not the sire is strong in conformation where the females are weak. The aim should be, a writer in the Farmers’ Advocate points out, to buy a beilter sire than the previous one, both in type and production, so as to wc(rk further improvement in the young stock. Sufficient care is not exercised in the selection of both herd sire and breeding females. Too often an attempt is made to purchase with as little cash outlay as possible, regardless of future development of the herd. A man should, of course, buy as cheaply as he can, provided the type and production is indicated, but too often these are of the least consideration. Animals with high production records and coming anywhere near the right type may cost a considerable sum, butl in the end may be a whole lot cheaper than animals bought at half the price. A dairyman must lopk to the future when purchasing breeding stock, and one should pay enough money to secure an animal with satisfactory breeding and individuality. The better bred bulls, backed by high milk and butter fail records are rather scarce. Therefore the law of supply and demand tends to rhgulate the price, and they cost a good deal more than the plain breed, poor type animal, which, please do notl forget that considerable depends upon the feed. The cow is a manufacturing plant herself, and no mattbr how highly specialised she is developed, she must have the right kind of raw material and in sufficient quantities if she is to produce to capacity.