The Record-courier. [volume] (Gardnerville, Nev.) 1904-current, 1921-04-15
VALUE OF COW
TESTING EXPLAINED

Courier has pretty good idea of what
a COW testing association is, but it will
not do anyone harm to refresh his
memory on the workings of an as
sociation before reading what these
associations have been doing.
Briefly, cow testing association is
group of dairymen organized for the
purpose of finding out the truth about
their dairy cows. They employ man
who weighs, samples, and tests the
milk from each COW in the associa-
tion one day out of each month. From
the data thus obtained the monthly
production is estimated In addition
to this routine work, the tester is able
to advise on feeding each one of the
COWS and is good booster for better
dairy practice.
The testing association is not a
thing to start for one year and then
abandon. The end of the first year
will show that some cows have pro-
duced at a profit. some have broken
even and some have lost money for the
farmer. Those cows that have made
profit undoubtedly should be kept
over, but the losers would certainly
be sold to the butcher
Every association should have an
aim in view. At first it might be well
to say we will Gull down to the cows
that produce 300 pounds of fat or bet
ter. This would mean that two
year-old COW should produce 200
pounds or more; a three-year-old, 250
pounds or more: and a mature COW,
300 pounds or more. When all of the
cows in the association are up to this
standard, the aim should be raised to
higher level. and when that is
reached, still higher level should be
attempted. So the association be-
comes a permanent necessity
We should be interested in what our
neighbors are doing. so | shall men,
tion the surrounding states which sup
port testing associations. California
has eleven associations, and ten thou
sand two hundred and fifteen COWS on
test. Washington has four associa-
tions and one thousand three hundred
seventy-nine cows on test. Colorado.
three associations and nine hundred
thirteen cows on test. Oregon, five
associations. ten hundred eighty-three
COWS ON test, and Idaho has five as
sociations and eleven hundred and one
COWS on test
The average production of fat in
these associations for the month OF
February was, California, 30.5 pounds
with 1895 COWS producing over 40
pounds of fat; Washington. an aver
age production of 26.S pounds of fat
and IT'S cows producing over 40
pounds; Colorado, % 8 average pounds
OF fat With los cows producipgvover
40 pounds; Oregon 226 average
pounds of fat and 72 cows producing
over 40 pounds; Idaho, 230 average
pounds of fat and 81 COWS producing
over 40 pounds The highest produc-
tion was by grade Jersey, Jim's
Wonder, which produced 2439 pounds
of milk and 114.6 pounds of fat in the
month.
Some of the testers write very in
teresting notes on the results obtained
in their associations. Walter Gewrink,
Johnston, Colorado, writes that the
first year his association averaged 252
pounds of fat per COW and the third
year the average was 3162 pounds per
COW. an increase of 662 pounds per
COW in two years. Mr.. c. Hong, Still
aquamish, Washington. reports that
the six highest producing herds in his
association have been in the associa-
ton since 1917, and the six lowest
herds have been testing only one
year. W. s. Maxfield of Kings AS
sociation, California, reports that their
year is nearly done, and its close will
be celebrated by banquet at which
prizes will be awarded for the best
production during the year. Mr. d. w.
Adams, Imperial County Association,
says that four out of the five highest
producing cows in the association
could have been purchased six months
ago for $3.50 each. Now they cannot
be purchased for twice that amount.
And so on through the whole list of
testers. Each one has some word
which shows that the COW testing as
sociation is filling a long felt need and
that it has come to stay
V. E. SCOTT.