The diamond drill., 1917-09-08
REDUCING EXPENSE.

nessman TO the management OF their
cattle and farms This TACT Is one OF
the most striking items brought out
In the annual report OF the work
among Michigan COW testing associa-
tions just completed by the extension
agent in dairying for the Michigan
Agricultural college. The report
shows that there are now 40s Michi-
gan dairymen. owning 5.642 cows. who
are members OF such record-keeping
associations-a growth OF almost 100
per cent within the past twelve
months
These figures" the report declares
ARE testimonial to the fact that
producers of dairy products are be-
ginning To find IL worth while to
know Just how each of their cows is
performing-but more than this, the
progress made is lesson in the value
of cooperation While uniting prim-
arily only to improve their herds and
to employ testers to separate the
paying from the losing animals, these
men have also taken up other mat
ters of Importance to the dairy bust
ness and Of interest TO their commun-
tiles
"The successes achieved by Cow
Testing Association No. 1 in Berrien
county are an illustration, and should
furnish inspiration to those districts
where this work OF organization has
not yet been taken up. The associa-
tion was formed by c. l.. Birmingham
OF the dairy division in December,
1915, and 1t began work on April 3,
1916 with twenty-six members, own
ing $50 cows. and with a young man,
Clarence b. Cook, in charge. Seven
teen OF the twenty-four herds enrolled
were grade, purebred or Guernseys,
for this section is probably the fore
most Guernsey district in the state.
An immediate result Of the COW test
ing associations labors among the
Guernsey men was the formation OF
Guernsey Breeders association which
has proved to be a big factor in pro-
noting the development OF the cattle
business in the locality
But how about the results OBJ
tanned by testing, since it will be as
sumed that this is the primary in
terest with a COW testing associa-
ton? In this field, the report OF the
association shows ffty-six cows were
sold during the year because their
records under test showed they would
finish the year with no profit for their
owners A total OF 20s cows, how
ever, finished the year with a full 12
months record to their credit.
THE average production per COW
for the entire association was GIGS
pounds OF milk, containing S04.9 lbs,
OF fat. The highest net profit on any
one animal was SlOS.44, while the
most prohtless COW was kept at a loss
of S319S. The highest net profit per
COW in any one herd was $655S An
other herd was kept at loss Of "a Is
per COW.
THE record showed further that
one COW, a purebred Holstein, which
previously had made record Of about
25 pounds OF butterfat in seven days,
made only 166 pounds of butterfat
during the year and was kept at loss
of $3l9S.
I'm still another herd, the differ
ence between returns yielded by the
best COW and the poorest COW was
$112.09. The highest butterfat pro-
duction was made by grade Guern-
sey producing SIS pounds OF butterfat
while the highest herd average was
42i5 pounds OF fat These figures
show few OF the possibilities and
pitfalls of the dairy business brought
out by the COW testing records. They
have been given wide publicity in tho
community where they were secured
These association records have al
SO been used 10 good advantage In tho
district in the selling Of purebred and
\ grade Guernseys A grade Guernsey
which led the association in butterfat
production was sold at a public sale
for 5000 when in all probability she
could not have brought more than