The spectator., 1922-06-16


 AS result of the conference of representatives of the purebred dairy cattle associations held in Washing ton May 5, at the call of Dr. c. w. Larson, chief of the dairy division Of the United States Department of Agriculture, number of important recommendations were made for the especially the purebred dairy cattle business. Each of the breed assOcia- tions, including the Ayrshire, Brown Swiss, Guernsey, Holstein-Friesian, and Jersey, was represented by two or more delegates. The subjects of dis ment of dairy cattle. advanced regis try, fairs, and sales.
 No conferences of this kind had been held for several years, and the representatives expressed the desire that this one might result in the for nation of permanent organization to thresh out problems of mutual interest and to work for the general better ment of the industry. Figures pre- pared by the department showed de- cided need for improvement i'll dairy animals and in making the best use of the improved animals that are now available. The average production of the cows of the United States is about 40O0 pounds of milk and 16O pounds of butterfat year, while the average COW in some other countries produces almost twice as much. There are 30 million grade and scrub dairy animals in the country and less than a million purebreds. There are 4,566,664 Amer ican farms having dairy cattle. and only 20S,251 of these farms have pure bred dairy cattle. It is estimated that approximately 250,000 purebred dairy bull calves born each year are not needed on the farms where purebreds are kept. Of the purebred animals That were registered fast year, about 150,000 were females and less than 15,0O0 males, which indicates that not half of the purebred dairy bulls are registered,
 Recommend Better Sires.
 
 by the conference were those express Ing approval of plans for increasing the use of purebred bulls in scrub and grade herds, and of the plans for CO., operative bull associations us being the best known means for distributing surplus bulls and introducing them into new territory. Although there is a place in this country for all the purebred dairy cattle that may be pro- duced for some time 1t was the con sensus of opinion that an expert busi- ness In purebredS would help to stimu- late interest among farmers at home.
 A number of questions related to advanced registry were brought up. Coordination of effort by and between the agricultural colleges and the breed associations was suggested and it was recommended that these organizations and institutions make special efforts to cooperate In this connection 1t was suggested that the various representa- tives ask their associations at their earliest meetings to appoint commit tees to meet with the Dairy Science association to see if an improved plan for making official tests of cows can be worked out, which will be agreeable to the breeders, the associations, and the colleges that send out the official testers.
 The showing of dairy animals at fairs and expostons received Il good deal of attention from several angles. It was decided to recommend to the associations that they cease giving money prizes at these shows, but spend the funds in putting on educa- tional exhibits; that more attention should be given to production records in awarding prizes at fairs and shows; that the associations repre- sented should give more attention to educational exhibits showing the eco homie advantage of purebreds in dairy practice, that each association has a distinct duty in connection with the selection of suitable persons to act as Judges of the various breeds of dairy cattle at fairs and shows; that no anl- mals should be admitted to fairs and CXpOSlIlonS unless they uTe lToiu HtIus accredited as being free of tubercu- losis or in herds under federal or state supervision, and that fairs not enforc- ing such rule should not be favored with animals for exhibits.
 Live Stock Sales Discussed.
 Questions relating to private and public sales were discussed, and 1t was decided to suggest meeting at an early date of all the dairy cattle asso- dations with view to drafting code of ethics for sales that would elim- mate some of the undesirable condi- tions. Since an excessive amount of attention is given to few high prices to the neglect of average conditions, 1t was also agreed to recommend to the associations that they send in to the bureau of markets and crop esti- mates of the department regular re-