The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-09-23
VERMONT AS HOLSTEIN STATE.
Continued from Page H.

, headquarters in Brattleboro, SLOWS be-
yond any doubt that the six states which
make up New England fairly entitled
to be classed as a geographical unit be
cause of their small individual area-are
! third in the number of Holsteins for the
whole country, being distanced only by
/ New York and Wisconsin The figures
for New England are 27,702 head. Ohio
has fewer by 100 and Pennsylvania by
| ,545 head.
! If there is any one state that, so far as
Holstein activities are concerned, needs
! the advice BLOW thine own horn, lest
it be not blown" it is Minnesota, the best
| advertised section of the Union; but
along comes the census and shows 14,1l6
! head of Holsteins within its borders,
which places it seventh, while Vermont,
i with only 1884 square miles of area as
against Minuesota's S4,6S2 comes only
| two places below, or ninth in the whole
! United States. Looking at the figures
from another angle, Vermont ranks as
the third state in the number of Hol
stems per square mile having a little
over five times as many head per square
mile as Minnesota. Also, in tire matter
of owners of Holsteins who are members
of the national association, Vermont is
eighth in the list, with Minnesota only
one place ahead of her
In New England there are 2,525 owners
of purebred Holstein -Friesians as re
corded by the census. Doubtless there
are more than this who did not take
advantage of the opportunity to be
counted. However, the figures as COM
piled are enlightening as showing the
standing of this group of states in the
cattle industry The value of New Eng
10
1t remains for New England to make
the best possible use of her advantages F.;
and one of the best ways that presents
itself and one which it is planned to
carry out, is to have q paid field man
who will devote his entire time to
boosting Holsteins in New England. The
first question that arises is what can
a field man do for the breeders that they
cannot do for themselves"
Among the manifold subjects he could
advise the breeders on are handling the
herd, including modern feeding prac-
tices; calf care; the advantages and de
tails of AFRO. work the selection of the
best types of animals to reproduce !;
abor-saving methods in barn and dairy
work, and so on. He would also be
available to assist in the organization
of calf clubs for the young pepole, get
4 together meetings III cOuHIleS. ana,
/ where advisable, public sales. The ar
rangement of public meetings is work
that takes much time and special abil-
ity; but their benefits TO a community
are unquestioned This branch alone of
the field mans activities would be of in
estimable value to breeders.
/ In close cooperation with him would
/ be the departments of agriculture and
! the agricultural colleges of the six
states: the national breed association,
state breed associations and the county
clubs. He would also be in touch with
state breed associations all over the
United States, which fact would be a
great asset in the sale of surplus stock,
as well as the purchase of new blood for
depleted or run down herds
! These are only few of the many
ways in which field man can serve the
breeders of the eastern states, and every
one means progress and profit.
Interlocked with this work is the abso-
lutte certainty of increased profits to
every Holstein breeder within its circle
of influence, following added sales, better
cows, increased records and wider pub
! licity caused by the field mans personal
contact with large numbers of men in
terested in the breed.
New England certainly needs such
work done and should lose no time in
getting it started. These facts and
many more bearing on the same subject
will be presented in a series of about so
meetings to be held in October and No
vember, under the auspices of the New
! England Holstein- Friesian club, assisted
by Prof. w. M. Rider of the extension
service of the national association.
! These meetings viii be held in each one
of the New England states, and every
breeder is urged for his own ultimate
benefit and profit as a Holstein breeder
not to mss his own state meeting.