Every Farmer Can Help Himself. 



Circular No. 12. March, 1908. 



MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 



Department of Plant and Animal Chemistry. 



THE UNPROFITABLE COW 



AND 



HOW TO DETECT HER. 



Cow testing associations may be defined as voluntary associations 

 of neighbors desiring through co-operative effort to detect unprofit- 

 able cows in their herds. 



These associations are very common in Europe, and are being rap- 

 idly organized in several of the Western states and in Canada. 

 Experts are employed who make periodic visits to weigh the milk 

 and test it for butter fat, and who are willing, when called upon, to 

 offer advice and suggestions relative to care, feeding and method of 

 improving the dairy herd. 



The cost of doing the work, which includes travelling expenses, 

 board and salary, in many cases is borne partly by the members of 

 the association and partly by the state, and may amount to from %2 

 to $6 per cow yearly. The plan is perfectly feasible if well organ- 

 ized and if a sufficient number can be induced to become members. 

 It is believed that ere long many such associations will be organ- 

 ized in Massachusetts, and that they will be under the direction and 

 receive help from the State. 



The following plan is tentatively suggested whereby the average 

 farmer can help himself ^nd at a minimum outlay of time and money, 

 ascertain the profitable and unprofitable cows in his herd. 



METHOD OF PROCEDURE. 



Weighing : Begin when the cow is fresh and weigh her milk for 

 three consecutive days in each month, preferably about the middle 



