FARMERS' MONTHLY OF HAMPSHIRE COUNTY 



11 



WHAT DOES CERTIFICATION 



MEAN? 



In the last few years many states; 

 working independently, have developed 

 schemes for "accrediting" or "certifying" 

 poultry. Massachusetts was one of the 

 leaders in this movement altho actual 

 certification did not begin to function 

 here for two years after the project was 

 proposed. This delay covered the form- 

 ative period of the Massachusetts Asso- 

 ciation of Certified Poultry Breedei-s Inc., 

 made necessary because of the thoroness 

 with which the job was to be done and by 

 the high standards which were set as the 

 bases of certification. Now we have had 

 actively functioning in this State for 

 more than a year past a splendid certifi- 

 cation program supported by the major- 

 ity of our prominent poultry bi-eeders and 

 which is rapidly gaining in recognition as 

 a model organization for the purpose. 



The foundation upon which certifica- 

 tion and accreditation rest are health 

 and productivUy ; health which lessens 

 mortality, the cause of appalling losses 

 to poultrymen and productivity which 

 makes for efficient production at lowered 

 costs. Briefly it consists in properly iden- 

 tifying superior sources of breeding stock, 

 hatching eggs and baby chicks in order 

 that purchasers may be assured of quali- 

 ty stock and so that breeders of this 

 superior stock may be officially identified 

 and protected from the competition of in- 

 ferior stuff' and unscrupulous dealers. 



The Massachusetts Association of 

 Certified Poultry Breeders Inc., has the 

 most rigid qualifications for membership 

 and an extremely high standard of breed- 

 ing from standpoints of general excel- 

 lence, productive capacity and freedom 

 from disease. The Massachusetts Certi- 

 fied chick is absolutely free of diarrhoea 

 and in other respects the best that can be 

 obtained. In other states certification or 

 accreditation does not mean so much. In 

 some cases it simply means "approved 

 flocks" that is the breeding flocks have 

 passed inspection as being fairly typical 

 of the breed and variety claimed. Others 

 go further and certify for productive 

 capacity and still others simply accredit 

 the breeding flocks as being free or 

 relatively free from Bacillary White 

 Diarrhoea. 



Hence, to buy intelligently one must be 

 informed concerning the form of accredit- 

 ation or certification practiced by the 

 state or organization involved. Last 

 Spring many hatcheries simply had their 

 incubators examined by veterinarians 

 and certified as not being sick! It is like- 

 ly that this coming season many hatch- 

 eries will perpetrate similar frauds and 

 make extravagant claims for the quality 

 of their chicks. 



In Manhattan, Kansas, last August a 

 National Conference was held for the 



purpose of formulating a mutually agree- 

 able and more uniform system or stand- 

 ard of practice to regulate accreditation 

 or certification programs. This confer- 

 ence defined accreditation as the lowest 

 form of breeding flock appi'oval which 

 means simply that the flocks are inspected 

 and found fairly typical of the breed and 

 variety represented, in good health and 

 kept under satisfactory conditions of 

 sanitation. In addition to this such flocks 

 if proved free of diarrhoea infection may 

 also be called "Accredited Diarrhoea 

 Free." 



Certification was defined as a higher 

 type of approval. Certified flocks must 

 be not only accredited but also must 

 evidence high productive capacity and be 

 mated to male birds backed by 200 egg or 

 better ancestry. In addition certified 

 flocks if proved free of diarrhoea infec- 

 tion may also be "Certified Diarrhoea 

 Free." 



It will take some time for all states 

 and poultrymen's organizations .sponsor- 

 ing certification programs to work over 

 i their organizations to meet these defini- 



tions. In the meanwhile, however, 

 Massachusetts poultrymen and purchas- 

 ers of stock and baby eliicks will do well 

 to recognize that Massachusetts Certified 

 means real quality and that such stock is 

 guaranteed for : 



1. Constitutional vigor, standard 

 breeding and productive capacity. 

 Management and sanitation con- 

 ducive to health. 



Absolute freedom from Bacillary 

 White Diarrhoea as ascertained by 

 consecutive non-reacting official 

 tests by the Massachusetts Agri- 

 cultural Experiment Station. 



— Wm. C. Monahan. 



2. 



3. 



BULLETIN ON STRAWBERRY DISEASES 



The more important diseases of straw- 

 berries are described in a recent bulletin 

 issued by the United States Department 

 of Agriculture as Farmers' Bulletin 

 1458 together with an account of such 

 control methods as are of proved value. 

 The great variety of conditions under 

 which the strawberry is grown neces- 

 sitates different methods of culture and 

 handling. Methods of control of straw- 

 berry diseases must be adapted to local 

 conditions. 



Severe attacks of leaf diseases — leaf- 

 spot, scorch, and mildew — may be con- 

 trolled by spraying or dusting. Often, 

 however, frequent renewal of strawberry 

 patches or the use of resistant varieties 

 will sei-ve to keep these diseases in check. 



A copy of the bulletin may be secured, 

 as long as the supply lasts, by writing 

 to the United States Department of Agri- 

 culture, Washington, D. C. 



I 



COWS HAVE HORSE SENSE 



An Eastern States farmer in 

 Lancaster, N. H., was running low 

 on Milkmoi-e, and he ordered of a 

 dealer an open formula feed. The 

 tag read very much as did the 

 Eastern States Milkmore tag, and 

 as the dealer feed cost a little less, 

 its purchase looked like a good 

 trade. To each of his cows the 

 dairyman fed .some Exchange grain 

 and some dealer grain, placing each 

 portion in opposite corners at the 

 back of the crib. Every coiu cleaned 

 up her Eastern Stafefi feed first. 



What is the explanation? Do 

 cows believe in standing by their 

 owner's co-operative under all con- 

 ditions, regardless of price? This 

 could not have been the answer, be- 

 cause their owner did not tag the 

 two samples of feed to show that 

 they were different. Is this a 

 question of bovine psychology? Or 

 does this simply prove that cows 

 have common horse sense? 



An article in the "Larro Dairy- 

 man" for October, entitled, "The 

 Open Formula," ends with the fol- 

 lowing significant paragraph: "Aft- | 

 er everything has been said, there- ! 

 fore, the fact remains that the j 

 buyer of any mixed feed must rely | 

 on the honor and integrity, the skill | 

 and the facilities and equipment of t 

 the manufacturer, for the results | 

 that he expects from the feed. To 

 the extent that the 'Open Formula' 

 idea diverts the mind of buyers 

 from this important truth, it is a 

 detriment to the dairy industry 

 rather than an advantage." 



With this sentiment. Eastern 

 States farmers heartily agree. 

 Dairymen who do not catch the full 

 significance of it at one reading 

 should read this paragraph over 

 and think about it until they get the 

 full meaning clearly fixed in their 

 minds. This Lancaster farmer 

 knows what it means. He has a 

 clearer comprehension of what it 

 means to him to be able to get an 

 open formula feed from his own 

 mill than he had before his cows de- 

 clared themselves unanimously on 

 the question. 



]Qastoi§latcs parnici's J^xcliOAgc 



.\ non-Stofk, non-Trofit org:»ni7;a- 



tion owned and controlled by tbe 



farmers it serves. 



Spi inyfieltl, 



Massachusetts 



