The Hope pioneer., 1922-07-27

dairy farms are every day becoming
more a necessity instead of fad, as
they were classified few years ago.
Although North Dakota is not yet
big dairying state, many of the pro-
,gressive dairy men are members OF
Cow testing associations and are
rapidly improving their dairy herds by
wedding out the poor milk producers.
Dairying, like all other industries,
must first be put on a business basis
and that is the result obtained at once
when the cream producer begins keep
dng accurate record of his individual
COWS.
According to J. r. Dice dairy hus-
bandmen at the Agricultural college, |
dairying cannot be q paying PROPOSE
tion until the farmer knows his herd.
BY keeping record of the amount of
milk and butter fat secured from each
cow each day and also the amount of
feed consumed by the COW the dairy
man is able to tell exactly what profit
he gets from each member Of the milk
herd.
"a COW does not necessarily have to
DE off pure-bred stock to be a good
smilker," Mr.. Dice declared. ''There
are good cattle in every herd but un-
less farmer keeps individual ac-
counts for each cow he cannot know
which cows are giving the return that
they should, and which cattle are cut
ting down the money making value of
his herd"
The breeding and cow-testing asso-
Citations of the state are setting various
standards. Some adopt certain pure
bred types Of cattle as the standard of
their organization aim, but many have
as their purpose only the culling of the
herds to leave the best milk and butter
fat yielding stock.
The usual organization has super
intendent who visits each farm once
month and checks the records of the
dairy. In mary places the duties of
the superintendent are even greater
and he heads the organized sales de-
pertinent of tn eassociation. Ward,
Morton, Pembina, Grand Forks, Stuts
anan, Barnes and Richland counties are
fhe big centers of dairying in North
Dakota at present.
Because grain farming is especially
profitable in certain parts of the state
tlairying is not getting a big foothold
as yet and in some places the country
is unsuited, but there are many local
!ties in the state where dairying should
flourish and only creation of interest
ds needed.
Farmers. who already have cows and
would like to get their dairying on q
business basis are urged to take up the
individual record system. The state
dairy commissioners of North Dakota,
has special man working Oh organiza-
tion work for cow-testing associations
and inquiries to the state department
of the Agricultural college would re-
suit in full information as to methods
of keeping records.
One good COW will produce as large
returns as two poor ones and requires
only half the feed, shelter and labor.
The big object of cow-testing is to get
rid of the "boarders' and save the la
borcrs. knowing which cows are poor
milk producers the farmer will OF
course get rid Of the calves of those
COWS also and will save the offspring
OF those cattle that give real yields of
milk and butter-fat. This viii result
in real building up process and In
time will build up a real high class
dairy h0rd.
Too many farmers are keeping the
scrub COW, feeding and milking her
twice each day, merely for the pleasure
of her company when a portion OF
this time might well be expended in
estimating the feed, weighing and
testing the milk and crediting the same
to each COW. Many good dairying me1
spend 80 minutes each day gambling
with the scrub COW when three minutes
time with the scales, tester and recorG
book would put the herd upon paying
basis. Keeping records not only show
which cows make or lose money fol
their owners but they show to wha
extent each is profitable, the amoun
OF feed given to each cow, and thu
kinds Of feed Mt prevailing prices tha
will produce the most satisfactory I'm
anc;al results.
The working tools necessary for .
farmer who wishes In inaugurate tn
record system are u spring balance
nilk scale, daily and monthly rscor,