The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1912-11-16
FOR MORE PURE-BRED STOCK
Growing interest Seen in co-opera-
tive Breeding for Encouraging
High-Grade Dairy Stock.

Coincident with the development Of
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 high
grade dairy 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-
lions in Maine is as follows: A
community Of farmers interested In
the improvement Of some one breed
of cattle form an association binding
themselves by an agreement to ad-
vance the interests of that breed and
to use only registered sires. The
bulls are purchased BY the assoeia-
ton from among the best herds Of
the breed represented and are used
on the herds Of the members Of the
associatiqas regardless Of whether the
cows are pure bred or grades, until
such time as inbreeding would result,
says the Dakota Farmer. A general
shift Is then made, giving each mem
Der new male without any addition
al expense. The most productive ami
NAL soon becomes known by the value
Of his get. II 1t Is desired to sell
pure-bred or high-grade stock for
breeding purposes, advertising is
done through the association and the
sales made by Its agent
The cooperative breeding Of milk
Ing Short-horns by the Minnesota ex-
pertinent station, in cooperation with
this department, was taken up in 1907.
The associations are organized from
among men who have bred and han
died pureebred short-horns for milk
and beef production. Meetings are
held two year to discuss matters OF
interest to the oo-operators, to report
progress made, and to suggest plans
for improving the work A circuit
uperintendent is employed who, I'M
der the direction of a council consist
ing of the president Of the association,
q representative Of the department Of
agriculture and a representative from
the state experiment station, advises
and directs the general management
of the herds, and keeps record Of feed
consumed, milk produced and breeding
power Of the animals in the circuit
He spends. two days with each mem
Der. during which he weighs the milk
produced by each cow and makes but
ter fat determinations. From these
daily records kept by the owner the
annual records OF milk and butter fat
production are computed
The Holstein cattle work at the
North Dakota experiment station, in
cooperation with this department, was
begun in 1909. According to the an
nual report for 1911 of the bureau OF
animal industry Of this department,
a years record OF all the cows in the
herds was completed January / and
showed that. some OF the pure-bred
cows produced over 500 pounds Of but
ter during the year.
The work OF the Michigan station
was inaugurated In 1908 gnder the
direction OF a field agent appointed by
the state experiment station During
the first FIVE months work ten CO
o@aratiye associations were formed
lid seven Others we're in process OF
formation, About fifty registered
sires were introduced, and 400 cows,
which were bred to grade and scrub
siras In 1907 were bred to registered
bulls il 1908 and 1909.