Milk Records. 23 



Milk record societies confined to pedigree stock of particular 

 breeds should not require any assistance from the Development 

 Fund, as the publication in their respective herd books of the 

 yields of the cows, should be accepted as a guarantee of their 

 being correct, just as the connection of the animal with the 

 pedigree allotted to it is never questioned : but societies formed 

 to register the yields of non-pedigree stock stand on a different 

 footing, and if they are to succeed, they must have pecuniary help. 



Dealers in unregistered stock are not too particular to verify 

 the statements made to or by them, as to the cattle they sell, 

 consequently there should be identification of all cows that 

 have obtained milk record certificates, and this means an 

 expenditure of money. 



A society, if well organised, should be able to look after the 

 milk records of from twenty to twenty-four herds with one 

 inspector — or, preferably, secretary — as the bulk of his work 

 would consist only in weighing and recording the weights of 

 milk, and checking the entries of those weeks when he was not 

 present. For the reasons given above, it would not be necessary 

 for him to take samples and test for fat percentage more than 

 three or four times in the year. 



Such societies would require but few rules and conditions, 

 and the simpler the better. Omitting such clauses as are 

 necessary in all societies for regulating the duties of the 

 committee, secretary, &c., the following suggestions for the 

 carrying out of their practical work are given with diffidence. 



Rules. 



1. The milk of every cow in the herd to be recorded. 



2. Milk to be weighed on one day in each week, and the weights of both 

 morning and evening milks to be entered in the record book. 



3. The day in the week for weighing the milk to be fixed by the society, 

 and always adhered to. 



4. The secretary to the society to make nine visits to each herd during the 

 period of lactation of any animal at intervals of not more than 35 days. 



5. The lactation period of all cows to extend for nine complete months, and 

 no cow to be accepted for registration until she has milked during the whole of 

 that period. 



6. Samples of milk for analysis to be taken by the secretary at his 

 discretion. Three or four sucli samples must be taken during the period of 

 a cow's lactation, the first between the third and sixth week after calving. 



7. The time limit for calving not to exceed 13 months. 



8. Cows giving over 600 gallons of milk in the nine months to be eligible 

 to compete for any inspection prize that may be offered for such cattle, the 

 milk yields to be certified by the society's secretary. 



9. No freshening of milk following abortion to be entered in the record 

 book. 



It is a comparatively easy matter to point out the good that 

 follows the keeping of milk records, but it is very difficult to 

 persuade a farrner to join or help in forming a society for the 



