126 HOLSTEIN-FRIESIAN CATTLE. 



breed from the fate of others by furnishing at this trying time, not only indis- 

 putable evidence of the great value of the breed, but also held out a continued 

 stimulus to the owners of the best stock to persevere in its improvement. Up 

 to 1895, 921 cows had been registered with records showing a production equiv- 

 alent to at least 10,700 Ibs. of milk for full age animals in the ordinary 

 period of ten months milking, and at the same time 619 cows had been regis- 

 tered that had butter records equivalent to or exceeding 15 Ibs. of butter for 

 periods of seven consecutive days. Nearly all of these records, whether of 

 milk or butter, were in fact in excess of these standard requirements. More 

 than ninety different cows and heifers held actual milk records exceeding 14,000 

 Ibs. for periods of ten months or one year, while over 140 held seven-day butter 

 records above 20 Ibs. In the presence of such records distrust of the breed 

 could not exist for any extended period and by 1895 it began again to advance 

 in public favor. 



Throughout this critical period the experience of breeders had been bring- 

 ing about an evolution of this Advanced Registry system. Previous to 189$ 

 all cattle registered had been subjected to examination by officials appointed 

 by the Board of Officers of the Association. With the decline of profits to 

 breeders it was found that the expense of such examination prevented the 

 registration of cows fully capable of meeting all the requirements. To clear 

 the way for the entry of such cattle examination by officials was, in that year, 

 made optional with owners. In other words, cows were thereafter admitted 

 to entry simply on sworn records without measurements and descriptions. At 

 the same time provision was made for the acceptance of records of pure butter 

 fat, the ratio of fat to marketable butter being fixed, after correspondence 

 with the officials of leading Agricultural Experiment Stations, at 83^ per cent. 

 A rule was also adopted requiring the superintendent to officially investigate 

 all records of pure butter fat or of marketable butter made in seven consecu- 

 tive days, exceeding 20 and 25 Ibs. respectively, and to publish a summary of 

 such investigation with the entry. 



At the meeting of this Association in 1894, to stimulate the making of 

 butter records, a thousand dollars was placed in the hands of the Board of 

 Officers to be offered at their discretion, as prizes, for largest officially authen- 

 ticated records. At the same time the ratio of butter fat to marketable 

 butter, in determining equivalent production, was reduced to 80 per cent in 

 conformity to the estimates adopted for butter fat tests in the World's Fair 

 competitions. In accordance with such action a contest was inaugurated open 

 to breeders of the Association, with a list of twenty-seven prizes, to be awarded 

 the best seven-day tests conducted under the supervision of the superintendent 

 or some inspector designated by him or by the officer of some Experiment 

 Station or other State institution. The effect of this competition was exceed- 

 ingly gratifying. The showing of butter production exceeded all unquestioned 

 official records of any breed previously made in America. It reanimated the 

 breeders, stimulated again wide-spread public interest in the breed and went 

 far toward establishing its pre-eminence as butter producers. Apparently all 

 opposition to Advanced Registry ceased with this showing. 



The future of Advanced Registry now seems assured. Its value is becom- 

 ing recognized not only by Holstein-Friesian breeders, but by all breeders of 

 improved cattle. Tentative steps have been taken in other breeders associa- 

 tions and in other breeds for the establishment of similar registries. Vicissi- 

 tudes no doubt await it. Its requirements will be modified to meet changed 

 conditions; but as the expression of a principle in cattle breeding and registry 

 it will, no doubt, continue as long as the breeding of improved dairy cattle 

 continues. 



The following Holstein-Friesian records are taken from the Advanced 

 Register, superintendent, Mr. S. Hoxie, Yorkville, N. Y.: 



Milk records Pietertje 2d. 479: 1 day, 112 T V Ibs.; 1 month, 3,289flbs.; 10 

 months, 26,737 T V Ibs.; 1 year, 30,318 Ibs.; owned by Dallas B. Whipple, Cuba, 

 N. Y. Priocess of Wayne 2 : 1 day 113^ Ibs.: 1 month, 3,182i Ibs.; 10 months, 

 25,135^ Ibs.; 1 year, 29,008-^ Ibs.; owned by T. G. Yeomans & Sons, Wai worth, 



Butter records Pauline Paul: 30 days, 128f| Ibs.; 365 days, l,153gf Ibs.; 

 owned by J. B. Butcher & Son, Pawling, N. Y. Clothilde 2d : 90 days, 320& 

 Ibs.; owned by Smiths & Powell Co., Syracuse, N. Y. Natsey : 7 days, 34^ Ibs. ; 

 owned by Ehrich & White, Colorado Springs, Col. Lady Baker : 7 days, 34 T V 



