THE BULL: WHEN AND HOW TO USE HIM.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume VII, Issue 1, 15 July 1913, Page 10

THE BULL: WHEN AND HOW TO USE HIM.

J. L. Bruce.

Next to gambling transactions in land and the recounting of sales at advancing prices, wherever • two or three farmers meet the amount of the previous month’s milk-cheque and the prospective takings for the season are the predominating topics of conversation in all dairying districts. The latter indicates a healthy rivalry and an incentive to increased production ; but when it is remembered that the continuance of these more or less satisfactory returns is in a large measure dependent upon one animalnamely, the bull — it -is surprising how seldom any reference is made to this important animal, upon which, as a matter' of fact, the dairy-farmer’s existence depends. In connection with the selection and treatment of the bull there are many features of importance that could be dealt with, but for the present it is not intended to. touch more than briefly on these, but rather to deal more fully with his dominating influence in the herd, and the most profitable period of his use-, fulness. ' , •

It should be markedly apparent to any one giving the subject a moment’s consideration that the practice so generally obtaining in this country of allowing the bull to run at large with a herd of cows is a very grave mistake, inasmuch as the bull is allowed to exhaust himself. unnecessarily. At one time it was no unusual occurrence to find a bull wandering in a paddock with a board upon his face and a heavy cable chain round his horns, with the object of preventing him from ' destroying fences. This form of cruelty, however, is rapidly disappearing. So far there is not much indication of the bull being kept in isolation by being provided with a small paddock to himself, tethered, or given comfortable quarters and the attention due to an animal upon which so much depends. If this were done, and the cows brought forward for a single service, a great many more cows could be served in a season, and with much better results.

A very general misconception obtains as to the age at which a bull is sufficiently matured to be fit for service, many holding

that aged bulls—say, from three years (on account of their having then reached maturity)—are preferable to the younger animals. Matured heavy bulls are practically useless for breeding purposes unless they have had exceptional care and . treatment. Moreover, it is absolutely essential in the breeding of live-stock that, there be youthful vigour on one side —that is, either the sire or the dam must be young and vigorous. The sure method of breeding the best stock is to use young vigorous bulls—say, from one to three years old. When a bull reaches three years old he often becomes heavy, and is not a keen server. Statistics show that young bulls from nine ,to fifteen months old may not be quite such sure stock-getters .as the older animals, but the experience of the most successful breeders is that the offspring is very good ; * and, moreover, that a bull from eighteen months to two years., old is at his very best as a sure stock-getter. In this practically all the greatest and most noted stock-breeders in Great Britain are agreed, and prefer to buy their bulls at from nine to twelve months old, and commence putting them to a limited number of heifers at that age, increasing the number. as time goes on, and ultimately getting quit of them to the butcher at about three years old. A well-nourished bull is fit for service at nine months, and he 'increases 'in usefulness until he is eighteen months old; the period of his maximum usefulness being from eighteen months to three years old, at the end of which period, unless under very exceptional circumstances, he should be disposed of. It may seem ridiculous to advocate the purchase of high-priced bulls and then discard them after a couple of seasons’ work, nevertheless there is abundant proof that it pays handsomely to do so. This is supported by the very best evidencenamely, practical experiencewhich is the most reliable teacher on all matters pertaining to agriculture. It is admitted' by the most successful breeders that the secret of their success has been careful selection and observance of the above rule. In . support of this, and to demonstrate further what may be accomplished by a bull under the very best treatment, there is a case on record where a young bullone of the Premium bulls in Ireland — 160 cows before he was eighteen months old, and practically all the cows proved in calf; and, to show further the present tendency of . cattle-breeders in favour of the use of . young animals, it may be pointed out that the Argentine buyers some few years back would buy only three-year-old bulls, but they have now found out by experience that in this they were totally wrong, and at the present time, as is well known, they will buy only ' yearlings. . .

. Another feature in support of the use of young bulls in this country is that, as already mentioned, on most of the farms the bull runs with the cows, and whenever a cow is coming in season the bull follows her and never settles from the time she commences oestrum until she ceases. Therefore it stands to reason that after a couple of seasons under such conditions the bull is fit only to be scrapped.” This is becoming more generally recognized, and the use of old bulls is decreasing every year. It may be argued, as discounting the experience of such famous breeders

as Dr. Clement Stevenson, of Polled Angus fame, and Messrs. Booth and Bates, of Shorthorn fame, who have had such wonderful results from the use of young bulls, coupled with keen observation and remarkable discriminating powers of selection, that these men were breeding entirely for beef quality and early maturity. Granting this, it would be interesting to learn why the same should not also apply to dairy cattle. Surely the object in the case of dairy cattle, is also that of early maturity, and consequent usefulness at an early age as a milk-producer.

Apart from the question of earlier maturity and general superiority of the progeny of young bulls, it is held by many that, as a bull has not reached maturity at three years old and therefore should only be coming to his best at that age, he should be fit for at least two more seasons. Granted that in exceptional cases, when it is expedient to procure as many of the progeny as possible of a particular bull, he may be kept for a longer period, provided he has a good constitution, has been kept in hand and well cared for, and is a keen server. In this case he should be kept away from the herd and' only brought forward for service to a limited number of young cows ; but if he be a heavy animal, and inclined to be a slow server, he should not be put to heifers. If it be found that the cows are returning he should be promptly discarded. Notwithstanding this, there is abundant proof that the progeny of younger bulls are better animals, and any one desirous of improving his herd will do well.. to adhere strictly to the use of young bulls. In past years the main point with many dairy-farmers has been to get their cows in calf no matter what age, breed, or combination of breeds the bull might be. . Consequently the inevitable happened, the progeny was often scant, and each , generation, was more unprofitable than the preceding. Breeding on these lines could have only one endviz., ruination. . . - Experience has to. a large degree ended this, but if our herds are to .be improved, much has yet to be accomplished by the general adoption of a more intelligent system of mating. It is within the reach of any dairy-farmer owning even a very ordinary herd of crossbred cows, by proper selection, of his bulls, in a very few years to improve his herd to an extent almost inconceivable to any but those who have actually seen and experienced the transformation. It is within the writer’s personal experience that, by careful, selection and the use of young purebred bulls of the very best blood in Great Britain, a herd of crossbred cows was improved to such an extent that over £4O per head was obtained for some of their progeny .as fat bullocks at two years and nine months old, averaging over £35, as against about £25 at three years and over, and this was attained in less than ten years. In support of this, take the Argentine buyers, who, regardless of price, are buying up the best-bred young bulls in Great Britain every year. Why do they do so? Simply because it pays. This being so in the case of beef-cattle, it may safely be accepted that equal, if not better, results can be obtained with dairy cattle. Further, it ought to be the aim of every dairy-farmer to improve his herd and ultimately to transform it to a higher standard of

productiveness and general utility, and this even to an extent beyond his most sanguine expectations. - HOW TO PROCEED. - Adopt and strictly adhere to a system of ascertaining the capabilities of every cow in the herd as a milk-producer,. not only noting carefully the yields, &c., of each individual cow, but in every case where there, are some of the progeny of any cow in the herd the yields of the whole family should be carefully studied. If' the yields from both the cow and her progeny be unsatisfactory, get rid of them as soon as possible; but where the yield is satisfactory, and more especially where the yield from the whole progeny is also good, no matter what breed or mixture' of breeds i this family may represent, stick to them as a foundation upon which to build a portion of the future crossbred dairy herd.

Constitution should never be overlooked. Weakly constitutioned and weedy animals, even although their records as milkers are fairly good, should be parted with as opportunity offers. From this point the degree of success in the building-up of a dairy herd depends upon the owner’s capability as a judge of dairy cattle and his subsequent treatment of them, but the crux of the whole matter lies in his ability to select a bull. Having decided which breed of dairy cattle is best suited to his ' purpose, his selection should then be made from the very best pedigreed purebred cattle of attested milking records, always remembering that the bull is more than half the herd. Never depart from this, and continue consistently with bulls of the same breed, having a robust constitution, and, as near as possible, the same type, always remembering that apart from milk-production the buyer likes something to please the eye and is willing to pay for it.

Every young bull bought should be, if possible, a better animal than his predecessor, even' if it be at a cost in excess of the purchaser's means. At this stage, if it pays to. borrow money for any purpose, it will do so doubly in the purchase of a purebred pedigree and milk-record bull; he cannot be too good even for a crossbred herd.

Possibly few if any dairy-farmers will differ from this, while some may disagree with or still be unconvinced as to the superiority of young bulls over older animals. Seeing that the history and experience of stock-breeding in this country is only in its initial stage, and many have not had the opportunity of studying the subject, it is suggested that those interested might with advantage recall past experience regarding the progeny of young bulls, and

watch carefully future results for a few years, after which, no doubt, their experience will coincide with that of the highest authorities in other countries. While the main objective of this article is to emphasize the sound principle of using the bull at an age when he is possessed of his greatest power of procreation, this implies the necessity under such conditions of taking every means at command, especially by generous feeding, to ensure the young sire having the necessary constitutional vigour. He must be fed from birth in the best possible manner, and this cannot be emphasized too much. While it is poor economy to stint any growing animal, it is fatal to success in the development of the young sire, especially if he is to be used, when he should be, in the vigour of the first years of his maturity.