PUREBRED v. GRADE DAIRY CATTLE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXXI, Issue LXXXI, 15 May 1920, Page 7

PUREBRED v. GRADE DAIRY CATTLE.

The old question, "would you advise me to start into the purebred dairy cattle business?" is being asked as frequently these times as ever before, and is receiving just as many negative replies as formerly. There are so many factors which enter into the problem that one has to study the question from every angle. Good purebred cattle of either sex are selling for such good prices now that men who have proven themselves successful with grade stock cannot afford to continue without purebreds. We all kno# of certain grade herds making morie money for owners than some purebredi herds in the same locality, but every community has examples of men in-the purebred business who never should have invested money in live stock.

The most economical and the most satisfactory way for the average farmer to starfc into purebreds is to purchase good femalesto start with. Care should be taken to see that they are good. They should be healthy, of the proper type, and either proven producers or with proven ancestors. It is better to have, only on e good cow than several medium, animate. A compar-

tively small outlay is necessary when starting in this manner.

It is remarkable how quickly a herd' can be built up from a few foundation cows. The dairy herd on the Agassiz Experimental Farm was started by the purchase in December, 1911, of twen-ty-eight grade cows and the following year three pure-bred cows. Then in the fall of 1915 two pure-bred heifer calves and the next year a pair of two-year-old! heifers, also pure-bred, were purchased. To-day there are forty-two pure-bred females in the herd, including the above and their dependents. As the pure-bred herd increasd in size we have gradually decreased the number of grades until at present only twenty-one are on hand..

A yearly comparison has been made during the last three years of the five most profitable pure-bred cows and the five most profitable grade cows. In each instance the pure-breds have been the more successful from a commercial standpoint. On. the average the purebreds produced 4,476 pounds more milk and 153 pounds more fat per cow per annum, and yielded an average profit over feed cost of 27.64 dollars more per cow than the grades.

After a pure-bred herd reaches a suitable size the most money is made jby selling the surplus stock for breeding purposes. The Holstein bull, Inka Sylvia Beets Posch (5563) was used as senior sire In the Agassiz herd from December, 1916, to July, 1918. From his service during that period fifteen ! grade and twelve ■pure-bred! females were raised and are in the herd at the present time. Putting the very topimost value on the fifteenlgrade heifers 'they are worth 1,875,000 dollars, while ithe dt.«aen x.ure-bred heifers are worth I just about twice that amount, yet they icost no more to raise than the grades. The purebred male calves born in the herd during the same period were sold for 10,000 dollars each up, while the grade bulls were sold for veal. Not only is it more profitable to produce purebred cattle than grades, under suitable conditions, but the pleasure and interest are much greater. —W. H. Hicks, Superintendent, Experimental Farm,'Agassiz, British Columbia.