SELECTION AND IMPROVEMENT OF DAIRY CATTLE 65 



In general it may be said, that while formerly most of the tests 

 made covered seven days only, now all the tests except for 

 Hoi steins cover a full year. Where the year test is made, 

 the owner weighs the milk each milking and the experiment 

 stai ion man weighs and tests it for fat two days each month. 

 Th< average percentage of fat for the two days is taken as the 

 average for the month. The Holstein breeders still use the 

 seven-day plan most extensively, although many year tests are 

 als( made. 



Where a seven-day test is made, a two-year-old cow must 

 produce 8 pounds of fat for advanced registration. The 

 amount required increases with the age of the cow. A 

 five-year-old must produce 12 pounds or more of fat to be 

 entered. The minimum for a year varies from 214 to 250 

 pounds of fat with the several breeds for two-year-olds, and 

 for mature cows varies from 322 to 360 pounds. 



The great value of the advanced registration system is the 

 possibility it affords of putting the selection of breeding 

 animals upon a sound basis. In selecting a male for breed- 

 ing purposes, the pedigrees of its ancestors form about the 

 only basis for judgment as to the probable character of its 

 offspring. If the records show the production of each cow 

 in the pedigree, it becomes possible to judge the value of the 

 animal fairly accurately. Advanced registration is un- 

 questionably the strongest factor now in operation for the 

 rapid improvement of dairy cattle. The great mass of dairy 

 cattle are not, and need not be, registered animals, and hence 

 are not eligible to advanced registration. However, the 

 system is equally valuable for grades, since improvement is 

 transmitted to grade herds by the pure-bred sires. The 

 addresses of the different breed associations are given on page 

 289. Further information can be obtained from them. 



