1920.] Milk Eecording in En'gland and \Yales. 



843 



of times she has cah-ed, date of last calving and when due again 

 to calve, the number of days during the year that her milk jield 

 was recorded, the number on which she suckled a calf or calves, 

 and the number during which she was dry. These official certi- 

 ficates, which are issued under conditions which ensure, as far 

 as possible, that the yields and other particulars stated can be 

 relied on as being correct, are of undoubted commercial value, 

 particularly to the vendor and purchaser of certificated cows 

 and their progeny. Cows of good type and constitution, which 

 have also certificated records, invariably fetch higher prices 

 than those without such records. 



Farmers, however, do not even yet seem to realise the financial 

 benefits — apart from increasing the production of milk — which 

 result from their joining a Milk Recording Society under the 

 Ministry's Scheme. The advantages of membership are. how- 

 ever, fully borne out by the result of recent sales of non-pedigi'ee 

 cows with certificates of milk records. At one sale 6*2 non- 

 pedigree cows sold at an average of 104 guineas apiece, and 3 

 realised over 200 guineas each; at another, 34 cows sold at an 

 average of 88 guineas, 6 fetching over 100 guineas each. At a 

 third sale the average price paid for each cow was 91 guineas, 

 while 9 cows sold at 100 guineas each. At the second sale referred 

 to 67 heifers with certified milk records realised an average of 

 59 guineas, the highest prices being 210, 170. 150. 130. 123 and 

 110 guineas. The whole herd realised a total of 6,476 guineas, 

 and as it was valued by a local valuer less than a month before 

 the sale at £'3,812, the appreciation of nearly £3,000 (i.e., 

 approximately £'32 an animal, including heifers^ may fairly be 

 credited to the commercial value of milk record certificates issued 

 by the Ministry under its Scheme. 



The Milk Eecording Scheme was inaugurated in 1914, but, 

 owing undoubtedly to war conditions, made Httle progress in 

 its initial stages. During 1916-17, however, 12,950 cows were 

 recorded under the Scheme. The following year the number 

 increased to nearly 20,000; last year to- about 38,000; and this 

 year to over 50,000. Even this latter figure is very small in 

 comparison with the total number of dairy cows in England and 

 Wales, and there seems to be no reason why the number of 

 recorded cows should not be doubled or trebled during the next 

 few years, as the advantages of milk recording become better 

 known and appreciated. There are at present 51 Milk Eecording 

 Societies operating under the Ministry's Scheme, and fresh 

 societies are being formed and the existing ones expanded gradu- 



