Vermont Dairymen's Association. 147 



When I addressed the Dairymen's Association of the Prov- 

 ince of Quebec a couple of years ago I found them agitating the 

 formation of a cow test association. I learn that this work has 

 been carried out during this past year in the Eastern Townships 

 and with considerable satisfaction. A recent "Hoard's Dairy- 

 man" gives an account of the pioneer association of this kind 

 in the United States, organized in Michigan last September. The 

 system has been in vogue in Denmark for a decade, and some 

 years ago there were in that little kingdom over 300 associations, 

 comprising over 4,000 members. What is a cow test association ? 

 Simply a voluntary organization among neighbors whereby they 

 subscribe small sums and employ some man periodically to visit 

 their herds to weigh and test the milk of each animal, to keep 

 the records, to make the calculations and to report the results. 

 This is all there is of it. In Canada the movement is fathered 

 by the Dairy Commissioner of the Dominion ; in Michigan the 

 movement was started by the State Dairy and Food Inspector ; 

 in Denmark it appears to have been mainly the product of local 

 enthusiasm. 



A brief review of the Michigan scheme may be of interest. 

 At Tremont, where the first Association was started, (there are 

 now two others under way) an expert dairyman visits each mem- 

 ber once in thirty days, weighs the milk of each cow for two con- 

 secutive milkings, investigates the manner of feeding, the care 

 of the cows and the milk, makes suggestions and corrects defects 

 if practicable. He calculates the amount of feed given each cow 

 and the cost of the same for the preceding month. The milk 

 is tested at the local creamery. At the end of the year, the cost 

 of feed and labor is balanced against the income for each animal, 

 thus indicating the profit or loss for each individual. The cost 

 of the production of a pound of butter fat and the returns for 

 each dollar expended for feed are likewise determined. The re- 

 cords are kept on blanks furnished by the State Dairy Com- 

 missioner and a copy is left with each dairyman each month. 

 Semi-occasional dairy meetings are held at the local schoolhouse, 

 where results as to herds and individual cows are compared 

 and discussed. 



The expense is borne by the Association. Each member 

 pays twenty-five cents for membership and one dollar per cow 

 annually. The local creamery contributes somewhat to the ex- 

 pense of carrying 011 the work (it is good business policy for 

 it to do so), and the State Dairy Department furnishes the 

 necessary blanks, books and stationery in consideration of a 

 return of copies of the monthly records of the work of the As- 

 sociation. The work began November first. The dairymen are 



