COW-TESTING ASSOCIATIONS 363 



animals is undoubtedly the first step toward improvement, and this 

 elimination cannot be successfully brought about unless records of in- 

 dividual production of each cow are systematically kept, and along 

 with such records of production, it is also, if not absolutely essential, at 

 least highly desirable, that a record of food consumed as well be kept. 



There is no reason why any dairyman should not himself keep the 

 records that are necessary for this selection, but the fact that most 

 dairymen do not keep such records has led to the formation of cow- 

 testing associations, so that the ordinary dairyman by cooperative 

 effort may secure information at small cost that in most cases he 

 would not take the trouble to secure for himself. 



Cow-testing Associations may be organized in various ways and 

 under various plans, and each association should be organized with 

 due regard to its own local conditions. The essential feature in any 

 organization is to secure a good, reliable, trustworthy, and painstaking 

 man to do the work. Such organizations have now been in successful 

 operation in other states for several years, and it would seem that 

 the time is ripe for the dairymen of New York State to avail them- 

 selves of these organizations in order to make their business more 

 satisfactory and more profitable. 



The most feasible method of organizing such associations seems 

 to be for twenty-five or twenty-six dairies to associate themselves into 

 a cow-testing association, each owner agreeing to weigh the milk of each 

 cow every day, and the tester to test the milk of each cow at least 

 for one day each month. This may be done by the tester himself 

 visiting the individual farms in turn and taking the samples and making 

 the test ; or it may be done by the owners themselves taking the 

 samples and carrying them to a central point to be tested. In either 

 case the tester makes the tests, calculates the production of fat for 

 the cow for the month, and makes record of the same and of the food 

 consumed, and reports regularly to the owner on blanks furnished for 

 the purpose. 



The details of carrying out this work may be varied to suit con- 

 ditions. In any case it would require the services of a reliable man 

 for his whole time, and this man will have to be paid a fair salary. 

 Experience has shown that an assessment of one dollar for each cow 

 represented in the association will cover the expense of the work for 

 a year, and in some cases it has been done for somewhat less than this. 



