126 PROFITABLE STOCK RAISING 



in this manner they are able to spend more money 

 and secure a better individual than they would 

 otherwise have done. At the end of two years at 

 most, it is always customary for a breeder to get rid 

 of his herd bull and purchase one of different family 

 in order to avoid inbreeding, or a too close relation- 

 ship between these families. The members of the 

 co-operative breeding association always arrange to 

 make their original purchases from different strains 

 of stock, so that when the necessity for this change 

 arises, they simply trade bulls. This plan serves 

 to keep in the one community valuable animals 

 which under the old plan would probably have been 

 shipped to distant points. It prevents needless ex- 

 penditure and duplication of animals and has proved 

 very satisfactory in its effect of constantly up- 

 building a class of stock not only for individuals 

 but for entire communities. 



Co-operative testing associations usually consist 

 of about 26 members each. They pay a stated sum 

 per month, depending upon the number of cows each 

 has, the money going to pay the salary of a man 

 whose business it is to test each herd once a month. 

 This is planned on the basis of one herd for each 

 working day, but in case the members live so closely 

 together that it would be possible to test two herds 

 or more a day, the number of members can be in- 

 creased, and the cost per member decreased ac- 

 cordingly. Each member keeps for himself the 

 weight of milk per cow for each day, but turns the 

 card over to the representative of the association 

 upon his arrival. This representative is equipped 

 with a Babcock tester and the necessary chemicals 

 for making a test, and is furnished with samples of 

 the milk of each cow. This does away with the 

 trouble and work incidental to taking care of the 



