INTRODUCTION 



The first publication issued by the State Department of Agri- 

 culture on the work of dairy improvement associations was Bul- 

 letin 30, issued in 1911 and entitled " Cow Testing Associations." 

 Although at that time the work of such associations was in its 

 infancy, the subject matter set forth in the bulletin was so clear 

 and convincing that it attracted wide attention, making evident 

 the fact that the fundamental principle of profitable dairying was 

 a better cow, intelligently fed. The five years that have passed 

 since Bulletin 30 was issued have been evolutionary, as the title 

 of the present bulletin would indicate. Substantial growth 

 has taken place, showing the possibilities to be attained by better 

 breeding, increased yield, and economic feeding, as factors in 

 reducing the cost of jDroduction. The numbers of associations 

 and cows under test have increased, and with these have come better 

 methods of organization and administraton. This evolution has 

 sent into the discard much that was undertaken in good faith, but 

 found to be unsuitable ; with it have gone not a few cows wholly 

 unfit to have a place in twentieth-century dairying. That the 

 number of the unfit may be materially decreased is one object 

 of present-day associations. With their elimination must go 

 certain men, who, either because of ignorance, lack of adaptation 

 to the business, or undesirable farm location, are working under a 

 handicap too hea^y to be overcome. 



To set in order and record the development of the cow-testing 

 association idea in ^ew York State, and to make widespread the 

 facts as to both its accomplishment and purpose, this bulletin has 

 been prepared. With greater knowledge, better and more intelli- 

 gently handled machinery, and with better equipped men — with 

 the support of the director of farm bureaus and county farm 

 managers, of the ISTew York State Dairy Association and hun- 

 dreds of wide-awake dairymen, as well as of members of our own 

 associations — the director of farmers' institutes and his associates 

 feel that in the next decade there should be manifest marked 

 results in solving the problem of profitable dairying. There is no 



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