Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1922-04-05
r. OF M. TESTING IN VERMONT
NEEDS STIMULUS
More Jerseys Should Complete Rec
ords Yearly. w. A. Kyle, Asst
Chief, r.. of nj. Dept.

More Jerseys Should Complete hcc-
ords Yearly. w. A. Kyle, Asst
Chief, r. of N. Dept.
Register of Merit testing is the
placing on the records Of the Amer
lean Jersey Cattle club the production
of milk and butterfat produced by
registered Jersey cows. The milk be-
ing tested by the Babcock method for
two days in each calendar month by
a representative of the State -Agri-
cultural college or experiment station.
In this state (Vermont) Professor III.
B. Ellenberger, at Morrill, Hall, Col
lege of Agriculture, Burlington, is in
charge of this work. The Register of
Merit was established by the Amer
lean Jersey Cattle club in 1903, be-
fore that time actual churn tests were
made and accepted for record. The
fundamental principle of the Register
of Merit test was to serve as a guide
in better breeding operations, that
dairymen would have facts and fig
ures to guide them when selecting
animals for their herd and Gull out
poor producers.
The success of Register of Merit
testing can be measured by the in
crease in number of herds being test
ed each year. Many breeders having
continuously tested their herds over
periods of five and ten years. The
growth can be seen from the follow
ing figures:
In 1913-195 herds We're testing.
In 1917-382 herds were testing.
In 1920-700 herds were testing.
In 1921-950 herds were testing.
In 1922-9S0 herds were testing.
It was not until November, 1909
six years after the r. of M. got under
way, that a Vermont Jersey was plac-
ed on test. Since then. however
about 800 records have been complet-
ed by Jerseys in this state. The first
Jersey to complete years record in
Vermont was Interested Brownie
182065, she produced 6914 pounds Oh
milk yielding 462 pounds of fat. In
terested Brownie has two daughters
that have official records. Owls In
terested Brownie 190665 has a rec
ord of 7547 pounds of milk, 45C
pounds of fat. Golden Oxford Brown
lie 2371O5 has three official tests, he1
best record being 1888 pounds OF
milk yielding 800 pounds of fat.
The progress of Register of Merit
testing and the success of breeding
better animals is brought with. the
official record of Grace Darling of St
Mary's 306562, which animal was
started on test at IL years of age and
produced 1876 pounds of milk yield
ing 1853 pounds of fat. This is the
champion record in the State of Yer
mont. all ages, and the worlds rec.
ord, all breeds, for 12-year-old cows
She and Interested Brownie were test
ed and owned by John G.. Rowland
Queechee, Vermont.
At the present time testing is be-
ing conducted in IL Jersey herds
More Vermont breeders should be
testing their cows and sharing the
benefits of this work. and vet ac-
cording to the A. j. G.. c.. records
Vermont is the largest Jersey state
in the country as to number of ami
mails registered with the club during
the fiscal year ending March 81, 1921
Register of Merit testing offers the
best means of comparing the produc-
ton Of two or more animals of like
ages, which is of especial value tc
the breeder looking for new blood fol
his herd. and the beginner seeking
foundation animals, or the man who
contemplates replacing grades with
Testing will show up the poor pro.
ducers in your herd as well as the
good ones. The Babcock test is un.
biased and offers the most accurate
means of culling.
Good bulls are always in demand
The only method to estimate the value
of a young bull is by the production
record of his dam, and the records OF
the other individuals in the pedigree
AS a guide to breeding, no Other
method compares with the officia
test, because it can reasonably be ex.
pected that the mating of high pro
ducing individuals will result in Sc
curing offspring that will inherit this
characteristic.
Greater prestige will be gained by
you from the publicity of the records
of YOUR cows. All records that ex
coed the high record in the state re
ceive wide publicity and list is pub
lished each month in the Jersey Bull
letin of cows producing over 81
pounds of butterfat.
The value of animals and their pro
oenv is greatly increased the minute
the herd is placed on official r. of M
test. The added value is one of tn.
chief reasons why you should tes
your cows.
The REGISTER of Merit test is on,
of the greatest helps to the ordinary
Farmer. and the majority of herds be
/ ing tested are those owned by tn,
ordinary farmer.