DAIRY MEETING. 83 



increasing the dairy value of the dairy cow. Increased produc- 

 tion along with better quality we must aim for. Tell me why 

 the average production of the dairy cow is so small. Why, it can 

 be for no other reason than that our ideals in the past of what 

 constitutes a good dairy cow have been too low. Here and there 

 we see notable results from having ideals in breeding. We see the 

 slow but sure building up of dairy herds to positions where they 

 are on the safe side of the ledger, even in these days of high 

 priced feed stuiYs. A man owning such a herd is occupying an 

 independent position in farm life today. The true dairyman 

 is always building for the future. One of the chief aims of 

 life should be to live a little better and to do life's work a little 

 better today than we did yesterday — tomorrow than we did 

 today. 



This matter of profit or loss in the keeping of the dairy cow 

 has been discussed for many, many years and it is generally 

 recognized by farmers that they should know not only the pro- 

 duction but the cost of production of the milk yielded by the 

 individual cow. Some farmers understanding the importance 

 of this matter to their individual success have bought hand 

 testers and have made a more or less accurate determination of 

 the butter fat yield of their cows. Some still continue to make 

 tests regularly but I am afraid many of those testers are not in 

 regular use, if at all. Very few farmers make an accurate 

 determination of the work of their cows for a full year. Now 

 this condition does not exist from lack of instruction. Its 

 importance has been taught by Institute speakers, by agricul- 

 tural colleges and agricultural papers for years and now object 

 teaching is being added to the other lines of educational work. 



I believe the best plan so far developed is the Cow Test Asso- 

 ciation, along the lines advocated last year before this associa- 

 tion by Mr. S. C. Thompson and which the association endorsed. 

 I believe it is the best plan because it furnishes an accurate 

 account upon both sides of the ledger of the work of the indi- 

 vidual cow. It is good because it means co-operation, it recog- 

 nizes the community of interests existing among farmers, 

 because the information thus gained furnishes the foundations 

 upon which to build a more and more profitable dairy business 

 and because the importance of breeding and local breeders' 



