Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-04-13
Cow Testing Associations.

(By Y. s. Adams, State Dairy Instructor9
The advantages Of these associations
are many, and they are secured through
the organized efforts and activities of
the members of each association. Organ
ization for the accomplishment OF a
specific purpose concentrates and directs
every energy towards that end. II tends
TO center the minds of men on one prof
ect which, IL feasible, is sooner or later
accomplished.
EDUCATIONAL ADVANTAGE.
However well educated man may be
he is always confronted with ignorance
which be must continually seek TO over
come. Iu order to pursue successfully
any line of work one must secure all the
information that is obtainsble and appli-
cable to his business. He needs the con-
slant help and counsel of his brightest
and keenest associates who are engaged
in the same kind Of work. This is true
of all dairymen. IL one allows himself
TO become isolated be is In danger OF
losing his opportunity TO procure or Sc
cure the best type of animals and of fall
ing to feed and care for them in the
right manner. A COW test association
offers its members opportunity to keep
themselves informed on all that pertains
to success in their work. Through the
meetings Of these associations men tx
change helpful ideas and get the advice
of prominent dairymen who may be in
vited to address them. The experiences
of many men make it possible TO remedy
many evils and annoyances with which
dairymen have 10 coptend. The Depart
ment Of Agriculture, State Agricultural
College and the Experiment Station rec
ognize these associations as splendid op-
portunities for educating the people and
promoting the interests OF dairy hus-
bandry. They are glad to assist AZ
much as possible in providing speakers
for meetings and literature for distribu
ton, all Of VII ca is Of educational value,
OFFICIAL TESTS FOR ADVANCED REGIS
TRY.
Cow test associations render II possi-
bic 10 reduce materially the cost oil
these tests, as all the official testers are
qualified To do this work. In some oil
the older countries, viz Denmark and
Sweden, this work has been extended 10
include the cost Of feeding and raising
calves and young stock, of producing
pork, and of keeping horses; and IL has
even been extended to the keeping Of
costs of raising different crops.
WHAT THE COW TEST ASSOCIATION DOES
NOT Do.
1t does not compel any man to join
with bis fellow dairymen in the work OF
increasing the production of his herd; II
merely offers him the opportunity. 1t
does not accom- plish results in a single
year that will change the type and color
of a mans herd. 1t tends however, to
keep a man persistently at the work of
improving his herd. Ii is like every 9th
er association and organization IN that u
helps its members only as they realize
their individual responsibility and try to
help themselves.
There are five COW test associations IN
Maine, and in addition two have recent
ly been organized in York County and
there is prospect Of one in Franklin
County in the near future.
THE ESSENTIALS TO A SUCCESSFUL Asso-
CIATION.
There must be some interest on the
part Of the members to profit by what
they learn in the way OF doing better
work along all the lines OF dairying. II
means sometimes a change in methods
of breeding, using pure bred bulls Of
some one of the dairy breeds and of the
best families of the breed, and always
using bulls Of the same breed No dairy
la hy
ing.
The meetings OF the associations are
an important factor. The ones that
make tue most of these meetings are the
prosperous associations. The questions
that are discussed at these meetings are
not necessarily all dairy questions, but
MANY farm subjects are taken up, from
| feeding calves to feeding dairymen.
The official tester is q very important
part of the association. He should be
man of the right temperament, and OF
good moral character, and should have
special training for the work. Punctual-
lity, regularity, aud accuracy are oil
great Importance, for unless he has
these qualities the records may not be
indicative Of the value of the respective
ity to advise with the farmer in his work
aud for that reason il ID necessary that
he be constituted to give advice in such
manner that it will be accepted and
followed. There should also be a CO.
operation on the part OF the tester with
the memb bers OF the association. One oil
the serious troubles has been the chang
ing of tester during the year. Some OF
the associations in Maine have bad three
or four different men during the year.
To overcome this difficulty We would
advise not employing man for tester
until the association is reasonably sure
that he has the qualifications and train
ing for the work. We will euumerate
lew of the essential features: That the
man has been raised on successful
dairy farm and has taken course in
dairying at the agricultural college.
These men usually make good, but II IS
i'm possible to tell in all cases what man
will do until he has to take responsibili-
ties. After the testor has been tried out
and found to make good, and this is US
ually determined by the end of the first
month, make a contract with him for
year.
We might GO into detail and tell what
these associations have done for THEN
members. One Of the associations re-
ported last year that the average pro-
ductiou of all the herds in the associa.
ton was 300 pounds Of butter fat, and
that means nearly $50 pounds OF butter,
au increase in the association during
the five years they have been doing busi-
ness, of ll6 pounds Of butter, which at
80 cents pound would amount to about
$40, and that IN a herd of ten cows
Would mean S400 90. The other asso-
Citations can show as good results.
There is no question but that il is the
best means OF getting better dairy cows
and better dairy methods, of anything
we know.
We will close by incorporating . few
| pointers that we take from q little book
let published by this Department.
1. Did you know there are $50 COW
test associations In the little country of
Denmark and 100 in the country OF Swe-
II