The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1912-12-28
HIGHER GRADE DAIRY STOCK
Cooperative Associations Being Form
ed for Improvement of Sumo One
Breed Of Cattle.

| SoihSiueHl WIFI the QeVelOpuueul VI
the work of cow-testing associations
has been an interest in cooperative
breeding. or circuit breeding. for the
purpose Of encouraging and facilitat-
Ing the growing of pure-bred and nigh
grade airy stock. The main centers
Of activity along this line Of work Of
which reports are available, have been
In Maine. Minnesota, Michigan and
North Dakota.
The general plan of these associa-
farmers interested in the improvement
| OF some one breed of cattle form an
association binding themselves by an
agreement to advance the interests Of
that breed and to use only registered
sires. The bulls are purchased by the
association from among the best herds
of the breed represented and are used
on the herds of the members of the
association, regardless of whether the
cows are pure breds or grades, until
such time as inbreeding would result
A general shift Is then made, giving
a
additional expense. The most pro-
ductive animal soon becomes known by
the value Of his get II it is desired
to sell pure-bred or high-grade stock
for breeding purposes, advertising is
done through the association and the
sales are made by its agent.
The cooperative breeding of milk
Ing Shorthorns by the Minnesota ex-
pertinent station, In cooperation with
the department of agriculture, was
taken up In 1907. The associations
are organized from among men who
have bred e. handled pure-bred
Shorthorns frr milk and beef produc.
ton. Meetings are held twice a year
to discuss matters Of interest to the
co-operators, to report progress made.
and to suggest plans for improving
the work. A circuit superintendent is
employed who. under the direction Of
council consisting of the president
OF the association, a representative of
the department Of agriculture, and
a representative from the state expert
ment station, advises and directs the
management of the herds, and keeps
records Of feed consumed. milk pro-
duced. and breeding power of the ari-
mails in the circuit He spends two
days with each member, during which
he weighs the milk produced by each
COW and makes butter-fat determine
tons. From these and daily records
h4 AL 1.Io
of milk and butter-fat production are
computed.
The Holstein cattle work It the |
North Dakota experiment station was
begun in 1909. According to the last
annual report Of the bureau of animal |
industry Of this department, a years |
record Of all the cows in the herds |
was completed and showed that some I
of the pure-bred cows produced over
500 pounds Of butter during the
year.
The work by the Michigan station
was inaugurated in 1908 under the di-
rection of field agent appointed by
the state experiment station. During
the first five months work ten CO.
operative association we're formed and
seven others were in progress OF
About so registered sires
we're introduced. and 100 cows which
we're bred to grade and scrub sires in
1907 were bred 70 registered bulls in
1908 and 1909
Cooperation in animal breeding, as
n other forms of Countrywide cooper
ltion, is direct aid to the retention
If the family farm. making less need
or large farms and the consequent
and peasantry of the peo-
lie. Cooperation in testing and weed
Ne out the ordinary herd used for
In owning male animals,
md in improving pure-bred families
md breeds will enable farmers to del
gate to collective management those
hings which the individual farmer
an not well do for himself II prop
rly organized under suitable cooper
tive relations with the state and fed.
raj departments of agriculture and
Encouraged by suitable laws, the
eredity values Of our breeds of live
took can be improved much more
apidly than II left to individual effort
lone