Breeders' and Growers' Associations 95 



Cooperative Cattle-breeding in Denmark 



The cooperative animal-breeding plan was first de- 

 veloped in Denmark, when in 1874, a cattle breeders' 

 association was formed to keep pure and improve the 

 Jutland breed by the use of pure-bred bulls. Twenty 

 years ago the movement spread rapidly, and the local 

 associations began to federate in order to have the work 

 of the societies done according to a uniform plan, and to 

 handle more efficiently the general problems that affected 

 all alike. Five years ago, there were more than a thousand 

 of these cattle breeders' associations in Denmark, owning 

 1300 bulls and having a total membership of 26,000. 

 The membership includes the smallest farmers and peas- 

 ants as well as the landed proprietors. 



The federated associations employ an expert whose 

 duty it is to advance the interests of the cattle breeders' 

 associations and the test associations by attending meet- 

 ings and fairs, helping the associations select the cows and 

 bulls for breeding purposes, helping organize associations, 

 keeping the herd books, and by assisting the individual 

 members in every possible way. 



The membership of an association averages about 

 twenty-four. One or more bulls are purchased by the 

 association at the ratio of one bull to fifty to seventy-five 

 cows, the bulls being kept by the different members who 

 submit the most favorable bids. The cows worthy to 

 be bred to the bull are selected by a committee, the data 

 on which the selection is based resulting from the milk, 

 butter, and cost-of-maintenance tests and from the pre- 

 vious breeding of the animal. 



