BUREAU OP ANIMAL INDUSTBY. 101 



Seven new cow-testing associations were formed in the western 

 territory, with a total of 3,309 cows. Four of these associations 

 were in Oregon, 2 in Washington, and 1 in Nevada. Many old asso- 

 ciations were reorganized. The work of these organizations has 

 brought about a spirit of cooperation and stimulated an active in- 

 terest among dairymen in such subjects as pure-bred sires, balanced 

 rations, sanitation, dairy literature, and farmers' institutes. Three 

 bull associations have been organized and 9 excellent bulls purchased. 



Data have been collected on the economy of feeding silage as com- 

 pared with alfalfa hay, which is plentiful and is likely to be fed 

 too exclusively. Practical dairymen who have been studying the 

 question are unanimous in the view that 30 pounds of silage can be 

 substituted for 20 pounds of alfalfa hay with better results than 

 would be obtained from the hay alone, although these feed values do 

 not coincide with those which authorities ordinarily assign to the 

 feeds mentioned. 



CREAMERIES AND CHEESE FACTORIES. 



Much good has been accomplished by the efforts to improve cream- 

 ery practices. The western office has been called on to aid in the 

 establishment of cooperative creameries and cheese factories. The 

 cooperative creamery at Caldwell, Idaho, organized under the guid- 

 ance of the Dairy Division, has been in successful operation for a 

 year, and the output is approximately 1,000 pounds of butter a day. 

 The patrons are receiving good returns and their herds are being rap- 

 idly increased and improved. At least two other cooperative cream- 

 eries and one cooperative cheese factory have been started in Idaho 

 as a direct result of the demonstrated success at Caldwell. Not all 

 localities, however, are suited for cooperative plants. 



MARKET MILK IMPROVEMENT. 



Nine contests for the improvement of market milk were held. 

 In a number of cases troubles with flavor of milk, etc., have been 

 investigated and remedies recommended. Help has been given to 

 cities in drafting milk ordinances. Some scoring of dairy farms and 

 milk plants has been done at the request of city authorities. 



WORK WITH SCHOOLS. 



Cooperation with county agents and public schools has been closer 

 than ever before. A district school in Nevada has installed a Bab- 

 cock tester for the use of pupils. At a dairy school in connection 

 with the high school at Kalispell, Mont., 17 boys were given instruc- 

 tion by the field agent on five days of each week for three months. 



Some notable work has been done with grade schools in Oregon. 

 Fifteen school districts in Polk County provided Babcock testers. 

 Cow demonstrations and scoring contests were held at the school ral- 

 lies. Not only school children, but teachers, farmers, and business 

 men took part in the judging and scoring of cows, both at the schools 

 and at home. Four other counties took up the work, until 40 testers 

 were in use at as many different schools, while the boys and girls 

 kept records of their parents' cows. 



