BREEDING DAIRY CATTLE 235 



the bottle by the upper end of the neck, letting it hang in a 

 perpendicular position on a level with the eye. Read the mark 

 at the top and bottom of the column of fat. The difference 

 between these is the percentage of fat in the milk. For example, 

 if the top reading is 8.2 and the bottom 5.0, then the milk tests 

 3.2 per cent. 



Much care should be exercised in cleaning the test-bottles 

 as they should be perfectly free from dirt when used. 



TESTING ASSOCIATIONS 



In those sections of the country in which dairying is extensively 

 practiced, the forming of testing associations will prove very 

 advantageous. Cow-testing associations are organizations of 

 farmers having for their object the determination of the pro- 

 duction of the individual cow in the herd. While the methods 

 of procedure of these associations vary widely in different 

 localities, yet the following plan gives a general idea and may 

 be modified to suit the conditions. 



General plan. — A number of dairymen, twenty to twenty- 

 five, having a total of 300 to 600 cows, effect an organiza- 

 tion, elect officers, adopt a constitution and by-laws, and 

 give the officers power to employ a man to do the testing. 

 This tester visits each of the herds once a month, weighs the 

 milk of each cow for a period of twenty-four hours, takes 

 samples of the same and tests for percentage of fat. In some 

 cases the tester weighs the feed of each cow and figures the 

 cost of the ration. The tester makes a complete record of the 

 amount of milk, the percentage of fat and total fat, and the food 

 consumed, for each cow in the herd, leaves a copy of this record 

 with the dairyman, and proceeds to the next herd, to return 

 again in about one month. In addition he gives all the helpful 

 suggestions possible, such as the successful practices of the 

 other members of the association. The entire cost to the 



