142 BETTER DAIRY FARMING 



217. Records of production. — It is easy to distinguish from 

 their conformation between the cows that will produce 365 pounds 

 of fat in a year from those that will produce only 200 pounds, but 

 it is not possible to pick out those that will produce 500 pounds 

 in a year from those that will produce 360. Therefore, consistent 

 records of production are necessary as an aid to selection. We 

 believe in cow testing associations because they help in many 

 ways. The milk of every cow should be weighed at every milking. 

 It will help in selection and it will help in feeding. We know of 

 no good breeding practice that will be as stimulating as weighing 

 and recording the production of individual cows every milking. 



Advanced registry testing with purebreds is to be advised just 

 as soon as one can possibly get to it. It is expensive but will pay 

 for itself as soon as one is established. 



218. Milking three times a day. — When one is established 

 and has gotten his herd going well, it is worth while and will pay 

 to milk three times a day all cows that produce over 40 pounds per 

 day for Holsteins or 30 pounds per day for cows testing over four 

 per cent butter fat. (42) 



219. General effect of good breeding. — The best crop on the 

 farm is the boys and girls. Mr. George M. Rommel, former chief 

 of the Bureau of Animal Industry, says, "Why cloud a boy's 

 dreams with poor stock? Give the youngsters well bred pigs, 

 calves, sheep and chickens." This will be giving the children the 

 proper environment to develop to its best the heredity that is in 

 them and they are entitled to that environment. 



220. Outside help. — The breed associations, whose addresses 

 are on pages 95 and 96, maintain extension departments through 

 which record forms can be obtained at cost. This is the best place 

 to get them. These forms are for keeping breeding records and 

 production records in the best manner for that particular breed. 



Every breeder should subscribe for his breed paper and at least 

 one good farm paper. He should be a member of his farm bureau 

 and a member of his county breed association and his state breed 

 association. All these things help. We must all help out in our 

 community life and in the welfare of the state. 



