Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-09-23
COW TESTING ASSOCIATIONS.

(From the St Adams MessengerO
Recently the Messenger called attention
to the fact that Connecticut buyers were
securing Washington county for high
class cattle to take down country to I'M
prove the dairy herds there and asked n
few questions about the condition OF
Franklin county cows and why there did
not appear to be any particular demand
for them In this way. We of Franklin
county. for instance. do not look upon
Washington county as favorable re-
gion for ve-v successful da!rying and 1t
Ia doubtful II the remainder OF the state
does On the other hand. Franklin coun-
ty Is known all over New England as
one OF the best dairying regions In the
six States and we here at home believe
It ranks them all. And yet we find ms
demand for Washington county cows
In the same article the Messenger call
ed attention to the assertion made by
prominent Vermont authority on agricui-
ture that one-third Of the cows In the
State were kept at a loss, one-third bare
ly repaid their keep, and only one-t third
brought their owners profit And this
paper asked II this was true Of the cows
in Franklin county. generally, and IL the
farmers here were doing anything about
It,
Right to hand day or so after came
this news story that may help TO explain
something of the conditions In Wasnng-
ton county and thereabouts that SENDS
out-o -the-State buyers into that region
to look for high-grade cattle
80. J.. Martin of Plainheld agricultural
comnI ssioner went to burlington last
night to meet Helmer Rabild, who Is con-
nected with the government department
OF agriculture. They will 10 up the Mad
river valley to-day to Waitsfeld to organ
lie II possible n COW testing ASSOCIATION
There are now three such associations IN
Vermont at Morrisvile, Hartford and
Stowe, and they are giving satisfaction
The object Of the association Is for a
farmer to ascertain whether his COW IS
boarder or rent payer.
The organization is mutual and usual
~ has &c members. each farmer pays II
COW and with this fund they secure the
services of an expert. who makes Bah
| cock test Of every COW devoting one day
4 month Of every cow Of each farmer.
with this test farmer will be able
| to weed out the cows which are not pay
ing and which are eating up more feed
than they are returning In milk and thus
raise the efficiency and capacity OF theii
diaries.
This scheme is tried IN Holland witt
| good success and the dairy farmers there
are prosperous on that account. as the,
nrc able to keep their herds stock onl,
with such that are returning them a fat
revenue. In other words they are e.imin
ating the boarders."
| Later came the news that the associa
ton was organized and had started OF
It's way. and the Montpelier Journal thu
commented editorially upon the matter:
IAN excellent proof OF the fact tina
Vermont farmers are awake to the pos
sibilities OF progressive and scientih
methods is found in the organiza ton o
the Mad River Cow Testing association
in Wattsfield. The milk OF zach COW IL
to be weighed and tested by an exper
and the cost Of each ration determined
Thus It will be possible to weed out tn
undesirable animals from a herd. !
costs as much to keep poor cow as
good one and many farmers are losin
money every year by failure to discrimin
ate between profitable and unprontabi
dairy animals This Is n hopeful sig
and elbows that business methods are be
ing applied to dairying And farming
Every town In the State would a. well t
organize such an association"
What Is Franklin county going to
about this? Do our cows need weed'n
out. too, Are we actually working dow
on the ground floor OF scientific dairyme
with modern business methods?