300 



Milking and Butter-Test Trials. 



years these butter-test trials have taken place at many of the 

 leading agricultural shows. 



Of these, the Bath and West of England, Tring, and London 

 Dairy Shows are the most important, as the classes are open to 

 all breeds ; and as the cows are often entered in both the milk- 

 ing and butter-test trials, information, other than the actual 

 weight of produce, has been forthcoming. 



The scale of points under which these trials have been carried 

 out are as follows : — 



One point for every ounce of butter obtained, fractions of 

 ounces being shown in decimals ; 



One point for every ten days since calving, deducting the 

 first forty days ; maximum allowance for lactation, 12 points. 



As the weight of butter, and the period of lactation, are the 

 features of these trials, no points are given for the quality of 

 butter ; but the butters are all judged for colour and quality, the 

 information derived therefrom being most interesting. 



To carry out these trials satisfactorily, it is obvious that (a) 

 the cows must be milked out at regular set times ; (b) the milks 

 must be separated and churned under similar conditions, the 

 question of temperature in both these processes being very 

 important ; (c) the butters must be dried and worked as evenly 

 as possible. 



To many people, practical trials, such as these, are of passing 

 moment only. Such or such a cow made a good record, is the 

 usual remark, or, perhaps, words deprecating the value of such 

 trials altogether are used, the contention being that trials last- 

 ing only a single day are unfair to the individual cow or to the 

 breeds competing. It will be my endeavour briefly to try and 

 justify the usefulness of both these competitions from the figures 

 and reports that have been published after each contest, and to 

 show that some practical good has been derived from them, and 

 further, that even more may be expected in the future. 



What has been already noted may be divided into two heads ; 

 (1) that relating to the cattle, and (2) that relating to the milk, 

 under which, of course, any matters of interest connected with 

 dairy work will naturally come. 



First, with regard to the cattle. If any breeder were to go to 

 (say) the Tring Show, look first at the award card, and then go 



