WORK DONE OR PROJECTED 183 



established expressly for the purpose in Denmark and else- 

 where. 



If, as is pointed out in an article published in the issue of 

 Co-operation for February, 1912, the milk production of the 

 average cow could be considerably increased, the whole 

 dairy industry would be placed on a firmer basis, and 

 individual farmers would be enabled to better the conditions 

 under which their milk is produced, and to carry out many 

 other improvements that might now involve a financial loss. 

 Any increase in prices to the consumer being undesirable, 

 the dairy farmer is faced by the twofold problem (i) how 

 to increase the yield of every individual cow in his shed ; 

 and (2) how to lessen per gallon the cost of production. In 

 solving this problem he requires to know, as nearly as possible, 

 the quantity of milk produced annually by each cow in his 

 herd ; the quality of that milk (and more particularly the 

 percentage of butter fat it contains) ; and the cost of each 

 cow's food for the year. This information being obtained 

 by a system of milk records, the farmer must then seek 

 (i) to eliminate unprofitable cows ; (2) to select the best 

 milkers for breeding purposes ; and (3) to adjust rations in 

 proportion to the milk yielded. By operating on these 

 lines he may once more hope to conduct his business 

 of agriculture in greater accordance with business prin- 

 ciples. 



The advantages of the system are undeniable, and they 

 need not here be further discussed. The only question for 

 consideration is how best they can be secured. In Ayrshire 

 and Dumfriesshire the farmers have formed their societies 

 for the keeping of milk records, and the average milk yield 

 of the Ayrshire cow has, in consequence, been largely in- 

 creased. In Ireland, also, there are co-operative societies 

 of this type. It would, of course, be hopeless to expect 

 every dairy farmer or small holder in the country to make 

 regularly his own tests and keep his own records, nor is it 

 necessary that he should when the work can be much more 

 efficiently done through the co-operative employment of 

 experts who would visit each farm or holding at fixed 



