94 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Lenawee Couiily llolsiein Associntion. 



Livinjjj.ston County Holstein Association. 



TTiidson Ilolstoin I'rccdcM-s' Association. 



Mason County Holstcin-Fricsian Association. 



Central Micliii?an Holstein Breeders' Association. 



Barry Countv IIolstein-Friesian Association. 



Saginaw Valley IIolstein-Friesian Breeders' Association. 



Grand Traverse Holstein-Friesian Association. 



Pontiac and Eastern Michigan Holstein Breeders' Association. 



Genesee County Holstein-Friesian Association. 



Shiawassee County Holstein-Friesian Association. 



Berrien County IIolstein-Friesian Association. 



Northeastern Michigan Holstein-Friesian Association. 



Presque Isle County Holstein-Friesian Association. 



Columbia Jersey Breeders' Association. 



Branch County Jersey Breeders' Association. 



Central Michigan Shorthorn Breeders' Association. 



Grand Traverse Berkshire Breeders' Association. 



Richland Berkshire Breeders' Association. 



The work since March 1, 1916, has consisted in giving aid to cow test- 

 ing associations already in operation in the State; in helping to form 

 new cow testing associations; in getting the history of some of the old 

 cooperative breeders' associations; and in assisting in the organization 

 of new breeders' associations. 



Eight of the old cooperative breeders' associations were visited and 

 the history of each organization obtained. Four of these were still in 

 active operation; the other four were broken up because of unavoidable 

 circumstances or having outlived their usefulness. 



In communities where the associations were in operation, marked good 

 effects were noted. Without exception the cattle possessed more uni- 

 formity as to breed and type. In the case of dairy cows the owners were 

 unanimous in declaring that the progeny of the association bulls were 

 better producers than the foundation stock. Many members of the as- 

 sociations w^ere found who were breeding pure-bred cattle because of the 

 incentive and opportunity furnished them by the cooperative breeders' 

 association. Men not belonging to the associations were found who had 

 begun breeding pure-bred cattle of the same breed to which the associa- 

 tion bulls belonged; thus community breeding was promoted. 



In all communities where the associations were defunct, marked good 

 effects were noted. Nearly all of the original members were still breed- 

 ing cattle of the same breed from which the association bulls had been 

 selected, some having purchased better bulls than those owned by the 

 association. The fear of the spread of contagious abortion, the natural 

 distrust of one another, poor business management, and the lack of co- 

 operative spirit, were the usual causes for disbandment of these associa- 

 tions. One successful association had ceased operations because many 

 of the members had died or sold their farms. 



The following Cooperative Cow Testing Associations were in opera- 

 tion previous to January 1, 1916: 



