Thirty-fourth Annual Convention. ^^'^ 



tests which I have been carrying on for the past few months are 

 mainly in figures, yet I have profited very much by certain 

 experiences in testing cows and various pecuHarities which often 

 arise. For these reasons I shall briefly tell you about my plan 

 of testing and of some of the things that have come within my 

 notice during the past year. 



When Secretary Caven wrote me last September about 

 testing a few herds for this report, I decided to use records of 

 our own herd, which we have been testing for nearly nine 

 months, those from a neighbor's herd, which was tested for 

 about six months and to test three or four other herds. I tried 

 to borrow a few milk scales for the farmers but managed to get 

 only one. 



Then I formed a small milk-testing association of three 

 farmers, each one weighing his milk every third week and sav- 

 ing composite samples every sixth week. I calculated the num- 

 ber of pounds of milk by multiplying the week's weight by 

 three, one weight for the week preceding, one during and the 

 other following the week during which the milk was weighed. 

 Although I advise weighing the milk continuously and testing 

 about once in nine weeks, I consider the former plan a good 

 one, especially when several wish to test at a minimum of ex- 

 pense. The farmers took up this work with no hesitation as 

 they considered this a very good chance for testing their cows, 

 first, because this test covered only about three months and 

 meant little work on their part,, and second, because as I fur- 

 nished the scales and sample bottles and did the testing, it cost 

 them nothing outside of a little time weighing the milk and 

 taking samples. 



It has been my observation among many that milk testing is 

 a matter of mere getting started. I can now recall two in- 

 stances where as many farmers knew that the scales and Babcock 

 test were the only means of improving their herds and were in 

 every way in favor of them, but for some unknown reasons ne- 

 glected to purchase outfits. After a couple of years they got 

 milk testing machines and went on with weighing and testing 

 without any dissatisfaction. Both farmers, however, acknowl- 

 edged that their hesitancy was due to pure negligence. 



