598 



Dairy Cattle in Denmark. 



[OCT.^ 



IMPROVEMENT OF DAIRY CATTLE 

 IN DENMARK. 



Harald Faber, 

 Agricultural Commissioner to the Danish Government. 



In the year 1920 the Danish Milk Recording Societies cele- 

 brated their 25th anniversary, the first Society, at Yejen, Jut- 

 land, having started operations in 1895. The Associated Danish 

 Agricultural Societies marked this jubilee by publishing a report 

 containing a series of articles describing the various features of. 

 the development during these 25 years. One of the articles,, 

 by Jobs. Petersen-Dalum, the son and now the successor of the 

 founder and director of the Dalum Agricultural and Dairy School, 

 aeals vcith the Influence of Milk Recording on the Breeding of 

 Dairy Cattle. The following remarks are based chiefly on that 

 article and on a paper read in January, 1919, by Peter Aug. 

 Morkeberg (Live Stock Commissioner to the Danish Government) 

 on " The Cattle Breeding Societies in Funen during 25 years.'* 

 I am also indebted to Mr. Mdrkeberg for various hints and addi- 

 tional information. 



The aims of the first Society, " Vejen Kontrolforening,"* 

 were to ascertain the quantity and quahty (percentage of milk 

 fat) of the milk yield of individual cows, the amuunt of fodder 

 consumed, and the relation between yield of milk and consump- 

 tion of fodder. The sphere of action of the Danish Milk Record- 

 ing Societies have since been stated to be : — 



1. The Societies ascertain the yield of milk and of butter 

 and the increase in live weight obtained from 100 food units ; 



2. They estimate the value of the animal as a producer and 

 offer the chief guide when selecting animals for breeding ; 



3. They induce farmers to keep accounts of farming; 



4. All branches of farming should gradually be included in 

 the operation of the Societies ; 



5. The Record-keeping is done in the cheapest manner by 

 forming special Societies -for the purpose. 



The first object of milk recording, the importance of which 

 should be readily understood by all dairy farmers, is to discover 

 those cows in the herd which produce too little milk and butter 



♦ The reason why Danish Milk Recording Societies are called " Control 

 Societies'' is eiven on page 110 in nly book, " Co-6p6ration in Danish Agri- 

 culture," 1918 : Longmans. Green & Co. 



