The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1913-09-12
the ADVANTAGES OF TEST.
ING COWS
by PROF. C. LARSEN,
State College, Bookings, S. q.

The past year has been one of un-
usual prosperity for breeders of dairy
cattle in South DAKOTA, especially for
the breeders of the white and black.
The Holstein-Fresian cattle in South
Dakota during the last year have paid
more debts, lifted more mortgages, fed
more babies, filled more cream pitch
ers, and furnished butter for more Ia
bles and for more people than ever
before. Moreover, these same cows
Ind more OF them have a greater pres
sige, and are in a better condition to
do these anne things again and to
promise their owners still greater re-
turns, and have gained a deeper affec-
ton in the hearts of their owners and
Of others who have learned to know
Of their superb qualities.
Testing cow Is the subject ] have
been requested to discuss. II the
COWS could speak, they would sum
marie all the advantages Of official
testing by saying. Give us a chance
TO show the world what we can do" |
wish to- speak of these advantages a
little more in detail.
Increases Owners Interest.
Official testing aWakens increased
Interest in the owner. venture to
FAY that a COW which passed through
an official test is better known and
is thought more of han the one which
has not been officially tested, even
tlp,,I %L.t !, nrt;o,1ar ~ p,ar NOT
have qualified. The owner feels that
he knows that COW and her progeny,
and the better he knows her, the bet
ter he likes her, and the better he
likes her the greater mutual benefit
they are TO each other. This close ac-
qnaintance of owner and COW from
official testing means that the owner
can feed the COW better. He knows
the limit of her capacity, her peculiari-
ties. her weaknesses and her strength.
A GOV is like a person when taxed
with work to nearly the limit. the va
rious characteristics peculiar to that
individual usually crop out.
Soon the owner learns that. though
cows differ greatly in details, they are
all much alike. He finds that certain
treatment applies to all. He begins to
prepare and store feed to be used for
official testing. He plans to have
them freshen at a certain time OF the
wear. The COWS are brought into the
best health and condition possible,
They are watched over and cared for
during the period of ~freshening, SO
thai they will not In any way be handl-
capped for doing their best In the
test. ! venture to say that these
things are beneficial to every person,
and that this great interest would not
10 taken if no official testing was
done.
increases Neighbours Interest.
official testing awakens interest in
other people. Some farmer neighbors
happened to pay a visit TO a certain
farm while official testing was being
done. They came at milking time
They saw the young man tthe super
%iniendent) sitting behind the COWS
watching closely the milking process
These neighbors inquired as to the
meaning Of this. They learned that
an official test was in progress ano
thai one COW had produced 81
pounds of milk and over 80 pounds OF
butter i'm seven days. This seemed to
be a surprise, and one OF them re
marked. That is more than lot
pounds of milk per day. ] milk ter
COWS and don't get any more out OF al
Of hem" Such discussions occasion
ed by offial testing are bound TO slim
Mate interest. One Of the above men
toned men has already bought a pure
bred dairy sire and is now cooking fol
registered cows.
Cows placed on an official test are
naturally large producers. When
neighbors and cow owners hear OF OF
fetal tests they naturally INQUIRE
either in their own mind or from 9th
ers. What is the object OF such OH
eial tests? How is the owner OF these
cows to be repaid for this expense
connected with such tests?' When
questions similar to these enter the
mind of COW owners, inquiries con.
Time until rewared by the proper an
swer. They .hus find out that there Is
. value in producing blood, that q
good pedigree is desirable, and that
these tested COWS are money makers
ms compared with the average cows.
increases Value Of Cows.
Official testing adds value to the
row and to her offspring. All author
tiles now advocate the milking quail
ties are inherited characteristics. and
that they can be transmitted through
the male as we'll as through the re.
male. These principles of inheritance
are an asset to the man who under
stands the use of it. but many times a
drawback to those who do not know
how to cooperate with it. 1t is true
that many farmers who buy pure bred
animals do not know the difference be.
tween one having ancestors in the
Advanced Registry and one which has
not AS soon as the purchase Of a reg
istered animal has once been made,
tho inheritance Of Advanced Registry
animals in a pedigree Is soon learned