Oxford Democrat., 1909-10-26
Z" SPEED THE PLow."
Cow Testing Associations.

Cow Testing Associations.
THEIR MANY ADVANTAGES TO TIL
FARMER-FIRsr PRIZE ESSAY NEy
YORK STATE FAIR.
In many of the dairy districts of Eu
rope cow testing associations have beer
successfully operated for years, ant
there is abundant proof of their value il
building up profitable dairy herds
Similar cooperative associations in thi
newer country will prove equally valu
able.
We know that individual farmers hav
benefited much by the records they hav,
kept of the performance of each of thei
cows; and this work is carried on will
even greater enthusiasm when a numbe
in the same neighborhood are doing like
wise.
Members are admitted to COW test
ing association on agreeing to take
weights and samples of milk of eact
cow in the herd certain number oi
times during the month, say, three
times, right through the year. The
farmers part of the work is simple and
requires very little time, as the work oi
testing and making the calculations il
all done for him and report is sent to
him each month.
Records are of great value to profes
sional breeders who wish to sell pure
bred stock on their certified record OF
performance, as well as for the ordinary
farmer who is selling milk. 1t enables
him to distinguish between the good and
the poor cows. Too. many cows are
kept at the present time that are not
profitable. Their owners have blindly
considered averages" instead of being
alive to individual merit.
IL good common sense business prin-
ciples were applied to every department
of our farm work some changes would
quickly take place. We would find the
"boarders" removed from every herd.
We would see on every farm cows that,
over and above paying for their feed, re-
turn a handsome profit to their owners.
A cow testing association will prove
to it's members that to be successful
dairymen they must breed, feed and
weed. The wedding has not received
the prominence that it should share,
but better things are in store.
When the records are added up at the
end of a season the farmer is able to
select from his herd intelligenty. The
COW that starts off in the season with a
large flow of milk is not always the
heaviest producer; she may decrease
rapidly. Twelve months are to be con-
sidered, because cow has to be housed
and fed and cared for whether she is
producing or not.
As an example of the value Of record
One man bought a cow for 500, but,
not being satisfied, soon sold her. The
man who got her was an advocate of the
scales and Babcock test, and after keep
ing record for few months sold her
for $500. Another man, not realizing
the value of his COW, sold her for S32,
but the man who procured her received
from the factory sl40 for her milk in
one year.
The keeping of record guides the
feeder in preparing rations economically.
ga penny saved is penny earned, and
BY knowing cows milk yield the con-
centrates can be fed accordingly.
Shrinkage in the milk yield in the
summer time is often warning to the
farmer to provide more soiling crops.
A gradual sbr inkage is likely to be over
looked on the average farm, but the
man who keeps a record has bis atten-
ton Immediately called to the fact and
will speedily do what he can to stop it.
1t may be the need of better care. Any
unkindness to a cow will quickly show
on the record sheet.
The drudgery element is lessened on
the farm when scales are made use OF.
Each employe is interested in the in
dividual cows and finds that he can
assist the COW to make good record if
he is careful to milk each COW at the
same time every day and do it quickly,
quietly, cleanly and thoroughly.
The daily record warns the owner OF
the approach of sickness; thus much
suffering and trouble and expense can
often be saved.
The keeping of these accounts is
source of satisfaction and inspiration to
the one who is aiming to improve, and
his figures on the paper tell him that his
efforts are being responded to. 1t is
also source of pleasure to receive larg-
er checks each year for milk that Is sold.
Every man who joins an association
finds that it pays to keep better cows.
By having better ones fewer need be
kept, aud this is a saving of both labor
and feed
1t would add interest to this paper if |
were to give one or two instances OF
association work. The difference be-
tween Individual cows in the same herd
under the same management is often
very great and many striking examples
might be given.
The following case was noted last
wear in an association where two seven
year-old cows were tested: Both calved
in March and milked ten months. one
gave 12,227 pounds of milk and 542
pounds of fat. The other gave 5,43o
pounds of milk and 211 pounds OF fat.
Allowing the low price of 81 hundred
for milk, one cow earned s67.92 more
than the other.
In the United States census for 1900
the average yield cow in New York
state is estimated at SIS gallons. When
we compare that with the cows OF the
leading dairy breeds that are making
their mark in the world to-day we caD-
not but ask the question: "What i'm
provement are we looking for in the
next ten years."
The next illustration shows two herds
that have been in association work for
four years, and the result will tell you
more plainly than can why sit pays"
to test cows:
Number Of Average yield
cows. lbs. milk.
Herd Herd
Year. A. B. A. %;
iaOs 20 1889 4,260
80 80 49, - o1 O s2)h 20