184 Report of Farmers' Institutes 



One serious objection to cooperative selling is a lack of the 

 standardization of the products. This is not easy of accomplish- 

 ment. Might not at least some of these associations be able to 

 do work along this line with their milk, thereby securing both 

 a better article and a better price ? It seems to me well worthy 

 of trial. 



LOCAL BREEDING ASSOCIATIONS 



We already have ample testimony of the work of such associa- 

 tions as they have been established largely through the efforts 

 of you farm bureau men. I consider such in no way inferior to 

 the cow testing associations. I feel that in many cases a cow 

 testing association should also embrace one for community breed- 

 ing. We have need of many such. I pledge my most hearty 

 assistance to the work of forming and carrying them on. Here 

 again I lay emphasis on the economy and wisdom of working 

 through an existing organization. ISFothing would assist in secur- 

 ing to the dairjonan a better cow to replace the one his association 

 has shown him to be a bill of expense — and not a source of 

 profit — than better bred stock raised on his own farm. A well- 

 bred bull can be afforded by a number, which on account of price 

 would be prohibitive to most individuals. All of the above 

 would help to knit the members together defensively and offen- 

 sively. 



ENCOURAGING PURE BREEDING 



In addition to forming breeding associations as an incentive 

 to better breeding, would it not be worth while to go to the trouble 

 of keeping a separate milk and fat record of all pure-bred cows, 

 and publishing the records of those which reached the standards 

 of advanced registry required by the different breeders associa- 

 tions ; also a record of all pure^bred sires, and, whenever possible, 

 the production of their dams and grand-dams. This would be a 

 sort of honor roll and independent advanced registry work lead- 

 ing to the real thing. At least two cattle associations — the 

 Jersey and Ayrshire — have taken steps to have advanced regis- 

 try records made through cow testing associations, authenticated 

 by the heads of the secondary schools of agriculture. Certainly 

 this will be of material assistance to individual dairymen, and 

 will tend to enlarge the scope and magnify the cow testing asso- 

 ciations. It should have our support. 



