582 



IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



This Iowa Holstein shows the five essential characteristics of the good dairy 

 w : 



1st. Strong constitution indicating great liealth. 



2d. Large feeding capacity. 



3d. Strong nervous temperament. 



4th. Blood flow large and in proper direction. 



5th. Large and well developed udder. 



oughly understood before one relies upon his work. Because of the limited 

 space I shall not explain the operation of the test, but shall refer the 

 reader to books or bulletins on the subject; suffice to say that these bulle- 

 tins may be secured free by writing to the Experiment Station. The 

 objection frequently urged to weighing and testing milk is that it requires 

 a great deal of time. It is true that some extra time is necessary, but if it 

 furnishes us a means of finding the poor cows is it not time well spent? 

 If we can find the unprofitable animals and dispose of them we can save 

 a great deal of time in milking them seven hundred times each year. The 

 milk should be weighed each day, but only two days each month are re- 

 quired for taking samples. Samples may be kept until some rainy day 

 by placing a preservative tablet in each bottle. Thus the testing can be 

 done when field work is impossible. 



The Cow Testing Association is also solving the problem of weeding out 

 the poor individuals. This is an organization of twenty-six farmers in 

 one community who hire a man to test their cows once each month. The 

 man in charge of such work should be responsible, and if possible a 

 graduate of a dairy school. He should understand dairying in general so 

 that he can assist the farmers in feeding, breeding and caring for their 

 stock. The expenses of the organization are paid by a definite assessment 

 u'pon each cow under test. 



