By selection, we mean not only the selection of the breed adapted to
the line of dairying pursued, but the selection of the individual
animals to breed and rear animals from, and especially the bull to
be used on the herd. This male should have a good pedigree--that is,
be the lineal descendant of animals known to possess the qualities
desired in the future herd. This is all-important; for however
well-formed and comely he may be, he will transmit the qualities of
his ancestors as surely as like begets like. This fact can never be
safely ignored. Milk and butter qualities, in a dairy herd, must take
precedence over beauty of form, however desirable the latter may be.
The cows to rear stock from should be selected, as far as possible,
on the same principle. Pedigree is not of as much consequence in
a cow, so far as practical results are concerned, though it helps
insure certainly in the quality of the offspring when that of the
cow, as well as of the bull, is right. But we may safely venture on
raising the calves of a good milker, as the probabilities are that the
offspring will inherit the qualities of the sire, while it may also
inherit the qualities of the dam, though she be of the most mongrel
or mixed blood. If there is failure, however, it need not go beyond
that one animal--unless an attempt is made to use a grade bull on a
nondescript dam, in which case prepotency is weakened and mongrelism
may show in the offspring. But grade bulls should never be used when it
is possible to have the use of the right kind of pure blood, which is
always stronger than mixed blood, and hence a pure blood sire is pretty
sure to transmit the qualities of his herd and family, in a great
degree, even when coupled with a cow of uncertain blood. In breeding,
the one bull makes half the herd, and when used on common stock, the
offspring will always be half-bloods the first generation. The second
generation they become three-quarter bloods; the third seven eighths;
the fourth fifteen-sixteenth, and so on, constantly approaching,
but never reaching, purity. For all dairy purposes, however, they
become practically as good as pure-bloods. But if the breeding is the
other way--that is, if a scrub bull is used on pure-blood cows--the
degeneration to the scrub status is in precisely the same ratio that we
have just given for improvement when pure-blood males are constantly
used. By using grade bulls, there is also a constant deterioration
of blood, but not as rapid as when scrub bulls are used. The only
safety is in using pure blood males. With these well selected and all
other conditions maintained, the status is certain to be preserved,
if improvements, in consequence of better care and selection, are not
secured.