Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1909-02-02
Co.operatiye Breeders' Associations.

Cooperative Breeders Associations
The idea of cooperative effort in the
breeding of pure blood and high grade
dairy animals has been discussed and
advocated for years by prominent agri.
cultural workers, and during the past
few years, under several different work
ing plans, it has been put to practical
tests in one or two of our western states.
The results coming from this work thus
| far done have been so satisfactory and
apparently possesses such far reaching
possibilities, that the department OF
agriculture believes the work should be
encouraged In Maine. The whole scope
of cooperative action along this line has
been personally investigated by the
dairy instructor and special effort will
be made TO introduce it into Maine dur
ing the present year.
A Cooperative Breeders Association
is organized for the purpose of promet-
ing the breeding and improvement of
high grade and pure bred dairy cattle;
of establishing and maintaining cordial
relations between its members and by
cooperation to improve the general
dairy interests of that particular COM
munity or county. The cooperative
feature of the association is extended to
the purchasing, advertising and selling
OF dairy animals, also the using of pure
bred sires.
Each association usually, and believe
should always devote its energy to pro-
noting some one particular breed of
dairy animals and thus make the county
or town in which the association is locat-
ed center for the distribution of that
particular breed. The members would
undoubtedly be drawn closer together
and would more readily cooperate in
every possible way, in which the advan-
tage of the membership as whole ap-
peared to lead, if the association was
working for the promotion Of one breed.
There are at the present time about
twenty of these associations in the state
of Wisconsin and so far, they have been
county organizations. In Michigan four
have been organized and more to follow
very soon.
The writer can see no reason why this
work when once begun should not be
extended TO associations for other
breeds of cattle besides the so called
dairy breeds, also to sheep and hogs and
horses, and such is the purpose of the
of agriculture when associa-
tion work shall have been once estab-
lished.
To the writer it appears that the OBJ
jects of Cooperative Breeders Asso-
citation could well be stated as:
To create a demand for and open
channels for the sale of surplus stock.
To make possible the interchange OF
breeding animals for which the owner
has no further use.
To secure pledges from members and
others to use pure bred sires only.
To mutually benefit the members
socially and financially.
To cooperate so far as possible with
fellow members, in the buying and SELL
ing of animals.
Already the breeders of Holsteins in
two sections of the state are interested
in the move and steps will be taken at
once to more fully discuss the PROPOSE
ton with them and to present plans for
an organization in the work of which
the department will gladly cooperate.
In order to facilitate this work it ia
hoped that the owners OF pure ored
registered stock in the state and all
others interested in the improvement of
their dairy herd or other stock will
write the department of agriculture at
Augusta giving their full address and
stating the breed and number of ami
mails they own. In return they will be
sent information concerning the pro-
posed association work, together with a
copy of the by laws under which most
of the associations in other states are
working.
The dairy instructor will respond to
calls for lectures upon this subject and
will give such assistance as may be in
his power toward organizing and max
ing the work Of the association success
ful.
LEON S. MERRILL, Dairy Instructor.