10 June, 1919.] Dairying Industry of United States. 333 



The results briefly were tliat the first generation crossbred progeny 

 S'howed an increase of 45 per cent, in milk yield and 39 per cent, in fat 

 over their scrub mothers, and the second generation progeny showed an 

 increase of 110 per cent, of milk and 102 per cent, in fat. The greatest 

 advance was shown with the Holstein crosses. The second generation 

 Holstein progeny a^-eraged 431 lbs. butter-fat, as compared with 101 lbs. 

 for their scrub grand-mothers. 



This investigation demonstrated that the average level of production 

 of a common herd could be greatly raised by the use of a pure-bred 

 tested sire. 



Cow Testing. 



The third method of improving the dairy stock of a country is the 

 use of systematic cow testing to eliminate the " boarder cows," and to 

 discover the best cows from a uiilk-production stand-point, to use for 

 breeding purposes. 



Since there is a great variation in the production of individuals of the 

 same breed, and since. many individuals revert to the production of the 

 original cow, or nearly so, it is necessary to keep records of each cow to 

 discover and dispose of those that are unprofitable. It does not pay to 

 keep " boarder " cows in the herd. They reduce profits and increase the 

 cost of production. 



Intelligent selection and breeding can only be done by a study of the 

 performance of individual cows. To find the '^ boarders" requires that 

 careful records should be kept of milk produced, its quality, and the food 

 eaten. "WTiere such cow testing is done by groups of dairymen working 

 in co-operation, the best results are obtained. The first Cow Testing 

 Association was organized in America in 1905. Since then hundreds of 

 Associations in all parts of the Union have been organized. 



The usual cost of co-operative herd testing in the United States is 

 63. to 8s. per cow. The best results are usuially obtained when a tester 

 supervises 25 or 26 herds of 20 to 30 cows each. The success of the 

 Association largely depends on the tester. He should be of good i:)erson- 

 ality, congenial temperament, tactful, trustworthy, and know how to make 

 -up suitable rations. He must know how to test accurately for butter-fat, 

 and be able to keep correct accounts. He should be of much benefit to 

 farmers in suggesting systems of feeding and management. 



The tester arrives at the first farm on his list usnallv before the 

 evening milking. He weighs both the grain and*the roughage given to 

 each cow and the milk produced by each cow. These weights are 

 recorded, and a sample of milk is taken and put away for the following 

 morning. The next morning he Aveighs the feed and milk again, takes 

 another sample of milk, and tests the two samples. The data are then 

 recorded, and the records of production for the day. as well as amounts 

 of feed given, are written up foi* the farmer. 



The tester makes suggestions as to feeding, and gives whatever other 

 assistance may be indicated as valuable by the results of his obsei'vations. 



With this record of production and feed of one day repeated each 

 month, the tester, at the end of the year, can supply complete informa- 

 tion about each cow.- The amount of milk and fat produced in the year, 

 the amount of food eaten, its cost, and returns from each animal are 

 computed, and the profit and loss on each cow determined. Printed 

 records are supplied for this purpos^e by the Association. 



