Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-06-16


public by Charles D. Woods. director
of the Maine Agricultural Experiment
station at the University Of Maine:
Until about five years ago the super
vision of the advanced registry work
in this State had been under the direc-
ton of the Maine Agricultural Expert
ment station. At that time the Pro-
fessor Of Animal Industry in the col
lege was interested in the statistics of
milk production and by arrangement
with the different cattle clubs the work
Of supervision was transferred to the
College Of Agriculture.
Advanced registry work is entirely
distinct from COW testing work The
prime object of COW testing is to give
the owner of the cows information rela-
tive to what his cows are doing from
which he may learn how to better man.
age his dairy herd for profit. Advanced
registry is for the purpose of ascer-
tanning a cows performance, not prima-
rily for the owner but for the Informal
ton of people who may intend to buy
the COW or her offspring. Cow testing
work needs no safeguarding. Advanced
registry work should be above the pos
Siblity of criticism.
Because of the similarity of facts
sought in COW testing and in advanced
registry these two functions had be
come blended and entangled in most of
the COW testing associations in the
State, so much so that the person in
charge of advanced registry work in the
State was not able to have his instruc-
tons exactly carried out.
At a meeting of the Live Stock
Breeders Association in December. 1915,
committee was appointed with power
to consider regulations concerning adj
vanced registry tests in Maine In view
of the fact that the College of Agricul-
ture desired to be relieved from the du-
ties of conducting the tests and that
the preference on the part of the cattle
clubs is that the work be done by the
experiment stations it was unanimously
voted to again put the work in the
hands of the Director of the Maine Ag-
ricultural Experiment Station.
The Station assented to this PROPOSE
ton with the distinct understanding
which was unanimously agreed to. that
all of the tests shall be made strictly
in accord with the requirements pre-
scribed by the association to which the
animal belongs; that if in the Judgment
of the Director of the Station it is nee
esSary. in order to safeguard the tests.
further rules and regulations may be
prescribed for governing the tests and
that these last may be changed from
time to time as circumstances seem to
warrant: and that the supervisor of the
tests shall have no financial or other
direct relationship with the owner of
the herd whose animals are being test
ed-thiS point involves a change Of pro-
cedure where members Of a COW testing
association have had their animals test
ed for advanced registry by the COW
tester Of that association, and may in
volve in consequence of that additional
cost to the owner of the herd
The oversight of advanced registry
is kind of police work in which the
one in charge acts as a referee be-
tween the animal in the advanced reg
stry and the public. This is not
strictly a function of an experiment
station but the following brings it in
line with the work of the Maine sta
ton. This station is engaged in spe-
cial Investigations in animal huSbandry
and is interested in the collection and
analysis of all kinds of statistics in
connection with COW life and func
tions. There is a general belief in a
relation between the conformation of
an animal and milk production. though
this is not based on very reliable or
complete data. In connection with the
4,
urements will be made and it is hoped
that in the lapse of not too long a
period of time, sufficient data will be
obtained which when analysed will
throw much light on this somewhat
mooted question of conformation and
performance.
The transfer Of the advanced regis
try work from the college to the sta
ton became effective May !, 1916. In
this transfer it is hoped to interfere
just as little as possible with the work
and organization of COW testing asso-
Citations. To the director it seems per.
fectly feasible to coordinate these two
different kinds of work with each in
dependent but associated with the
other.
The essential thing is that the SUI
pervisor of the advanced registry,
while he is doing advanced registry
work, must be employed by the di-
rector of the station. While not en-
gagged in advanced registry work he
may be employed as tester for a COW
testing association in the State they
continue to handle all matters direct
ly through their secretary and keep
up the organization complete. The
members pay the fees as presented by
their secretary directly to the sec
rotary of the Cow Testing Association.
AS supervisor of the work of advanced
registry for the State, the director of
the station employs and pays their
tester. This man is supervisor when
he has to do with advanced registry
and tester when he has to do with
COW testing work.
He is responsible to the station director
for his position and for his pay and must
make good" to the directors satisfac-
ton. Wherever COW testing association
has secretary willing to do the work
and keep the matter in hand, this seems
to be the simplest way out. The associa-
ton Is not affected in any way except