Williams news., 1922-06-16

of Agriculture.)
 As result of the conference of representatives of the purebred dairy | cattle associations held in Washing ton, May D. at the call of Dr. c. w. Larson, chief of the dairy division
 of the United States Department of Agriculture, a number of important
 recommendations were made for the
 improvement of the dairy industry.
 especially the purebred dairy cattle
 business. Each of the breed associa-
 tions, including the Ayrshire, Brown
 Swiss, Guernsey, Holstein-F'riesian,a and
 Jersey, was represented by two or more delegates. The subjects of dis cussfon had to do with the improve 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 a de cided need for improvement in dairy animals and in making the best use of the improved animals that are now
 
 the cows of the United States is about 4,OOO pounds of milk and 16O pounds of butterfat a year, while the average COW in some other countries produces almost twice as much. There are 30 million grade and scrub dairy aJ,insalS in the country and less than million purebreds. There are 4,566, ,664 Amer ican farms having dairy cattle, and only POS, ,251 of these farms have pure bred dairy cattle. It is estimated that approximately 25O,OO0 purebred dairy bull calves born each year are not needed on the farms where purebreds are kept. Of tEe purebred animals that were registered fast year, about 150,OOO were females and less than 75 ,O0O- males, which indicates that not half of the purebred dairy bulls are registered.
 Recommend Better Sires.
 Among the recommendations made 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 aSsocia tions as being the best known means for distributing surplus bulls and introducing them into new territory. Although there is B place in this country for all the l purebred dairy cattle that may be pro- duced for some time, it was the con sensus of opinion that an expert busf- | ness in purebreds would help to stimu late interest among farmers at home. |
 A number of questions related to | advanced registry were brought up. | of effort by and between the agricultural colleges and the breed | was suggested, and it was l recommended that these organizations | and institutions make special efforts to | cooperate. In this connection it was suggested that the various representa- ives ask their associations at their earliest meetings to appoint commit tees to meet with the Dairy Science association to see if an improved plan ,or making official tests of cows can be worked out, which will be agreeable o the breeders, the associations, and he colleges that send out the official esters.
 The showing of dairy animals at airs and expositions received a good lea1 of attention from several angles. t was decided to recommend to the associations that they cease giving money prizes at these shows, but pend the funds in putting on educa- ionaI exhibits; that more attention mould be given to production records n awarding prizes at fairs and hows; that the associations repre- tented should give more attention to educational exhibits showing the eco- lomic advantage of purebreds in dairy 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 .attle at fairs and shows; that no anil nals should be admitted to fairs and unless they are from herds accredited as being free of tubercu- Osis or in herds under federal or state and that fairs not enforc- ng such a rule should not be favored with animals for exhibits.
 Live Stock Sales Discussed.
 Questions relating to private and public sales were discussed, and it was iecided to suggest a meeting at an ,arly date of all the dairy cattle asso- .iations with a view to drafting code If ethics for sales that would elim- nate some of the undesirable condi- ionS.-- Since an excessive amount of Intention is given to a few high prices o the neglect of average conditions, L was also agreed to recommend to he associations that they send in to he bureau of markets and crop esti- mates of the department regular re-