Value of Records 45 
Through natural aptitude, through careful and 
systematic training, and through constant practice, 
very many persons become expert in the selection of 
cows, and they are able to distinguish with a good 
degree of accuracy between cows that are large or 
small producers. Yet no matter how much skill may 
be attained along these lines, the fact still remains 
that the external conformation fails to coincide with‘ 
the actual production of the animal in a sufficient 
number of instances so that it is never safe to depend 
entirely upon outward indications in selecting cows. 
Value of records of production.—The statement is 
frequently made, and generally accepted, that there is 
no means ot determining the prospective value of a 
cow for the production of milk that can compare 
with a knowledge of what the animal has already 
done as determined by an actual record of production 
in both milk and fat extending through a year or 
a complete period of lactation. This is so well 
recognized that all dairy cow breeders’ associations 
are making provision. for the segregation of the large 
producing animals of the various breeds into a class 
by themselves, known as the advanced registry or 
register of merit, admission to which is gained only 
by actual production, authenticated by disinterested 
supervision, and breeders of dairy cattle are expend- 
ing thousands of dollars-each year to secure such 
authenticated records of their animals. 
Necessity for keeping records.—If records of pro- 
duction are recognized by breeders ot pure-bred 
animals as an essential factor in the breeding and 
