The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1913-04-17
AGRICUL
MET. TUESDAY
To Plan a Cow Testing
Association
4. N. Goodman OF the United STAT
Department OF Agriculture and state
Dairy Inspector Adams In Attend
anee

anee
The forenoon session Of the Farm
ers Institute which dealt largely with
plans for a COW testing association
was attended with much interest b.
farmers in this vicinity Elmer Z
Harris presided as chairman aad
State Dairy Instructor F S. Adams %
Bowdoinham and A. ~ Goodman o.
the United States Department Of Agri-
culture were the speakers 81
Adams spoke On the object OF m
meeting. and made some very e6cel-
lent suggestions benefiting agrioul-
turists in different branches. lie
dealt especially however on the COW
Testing Association and told OF some
Of the associations which he had been
visiting OF late. He said there Were
only three in Maine at the present
time. three having gone out OF eAis-
tence. He added We hear a grear
deal about the independent farmer.
but farmers have been too independ
ents In explanation he said that
agriculturists had not co-operaied
enough with their neighbors along
various lines According to his IDEAS
much added cooperation should DE
brought about in various ways along
other lines even other than dairyine
He spoke of the Grange as being Of
special benefit to farmers still he said
thai there were so many young peo-
pie ard so many IN the order who
We're not interested in agricultural
pursuits, that the organization was
hardly Tor the special adaptation to
farmers alone or as much so as Wa~
either the Sheep Breeders Associe-
ton or Cow Testing Assor alton. Nr
Adams pointed out the fact OF the
necessity of stock husbandry and con
sidered it impossible TO farm without
ii. lie said Diversified Farming 4,
the watchword of Maine"
M Goodman spoke entertaininsly
on tho formation and about the testing
association He explained in part that
the primary purpose of the coWtest
liz movement was to obtain records
Of the yearly production of milk and
butter from each individual COW -
tie herds OF the members, and With
6..c 4 hz- he no. titlr
OF the best producing COWS fof breed
ing purposes. TO develop a strain o.
COWS which would produce a large
quantity OF milk rich in butter lat.
Later il was found that 10 judge :ne
quality of the individuals il was nee
essary in addition to keep account OF
the amount of feed consumed by each
COW, in order to learn which OF then
utilized the feed TO the best advantage
In order to be able 10 decide 4
telligently which COWS produce milk
and butter economically and which do
not. II is necessary 10 know three
things about the individual COWS ii
the herd. First. how much milk they
give; and this must p' N.aNn for q
year, because a COW has 90 be I'd tol
three hundred and siXty-fye davs
Second. how much butter fat there i
in each cows milk. for upon this d@-
pends the market value OF the miih
And third, in order TO form eorrec.
idea as to the economical utilization
of the feed it is necessary to know
the amount OF feed consumed b. IN
COW.
The methods of operation were
graphically taken up, twenty-fovr
hours being the time required to coiu-
plete the test, while the average eos
per COW was Sl.25 for year Nj
Goodman impressed the fact specially
upon his hearers ~ a co" t. 'n-
association had nothir- 10 do With
the health of the animals as doaoties.
many people have confused this organ
.zation with one for the testing OF
cattle for tuberculosis.
The afternoon session was devoted
largely TO discussions on the subject
of forming the association, benefit ae-
rived from ii, etc. Numerous farmers
talked during the afternoon fayoraoly
in regard TO the matter and i was
finally decided to hold another meeting
in the Municipal Court room. Sat0r-
day afternoon, May 3, at l O'Clock. \
committee TO make Investigations and
canvass among the farmers IN this vi
cinity was appointed as follows II a
Yeaton, Norrdsewock; George PARKER
Skowhegan; Ralph Weston, SkoNhe-
gan; J. T. Dion Eaton Mt District.
Milford Withee, Canaan; George +.
Foster. Cornyille; W. E. Mars on.
Smithheld; r. Robbins, Madison, and
c. J. Wood. Cornvile.