THE PREPOTENT SIRE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2978, 12 April 1911, Page 19

THE PREPOTENT SIRE.

EVIDENCE FROM AMERICAN TESTS. Purebred sires are much more apt to bo prepotent than grade sires, for they havo the force behind them of long years of breeding in a given line. The following experience' of the. Missouri Experiment Station is instructive on this point:—A purebred bull was purchased and used en a large number of cows, and it was found that the daughters were not producing as much fat es the dams. The average number of pounds of; fat for the dams was 234, while that of the daughters would amount to 216. In six years this loss on 30 daughters would amount to 939d0l (£187). After these results were received a second bull was used to replace the first. This animal was much more prepotent in transmitting dairy qualities, and increased the average production of fat from 2201 b in tho dams to 2801 bin the daughters. Instead of a loss this sire increased the value of the 30 daughters 2700d0l (£540) over that of the dams. Still a third bull was used, and proved himself still more prepotent. The cows on which this bull was used average 2381 b of fat, while their daughters average 3421 b, an increase of 1041 b. The gain in six years on 30 daughters was 4950d0l (£990). This shows the importance of a good animal and demonstrates how a large number of the common herds' are being ruined because* of the ignorance or neglect of tho owners.