IMPROVING DAIRY HERDS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1195, 2 August 1911, Page 8

IMPROVING DAIRY HERDS.

FARM CO-OPERATION,

In. the matter of improving tho dairy -. herds, n. practice that has come into voguo in parts of the United States is worthy : of consideration. It is a most useful form of farm co-operation, and its, extension must in time have u highly beneficial effect. To start, a -man who thoroughly knows what he -is talking about is sent out as an emissary to bring beforo dairy iarmcrs the advantages of weeding out poor cows, and breeding and grading up t<> a higher standard of production in milk and butter-fat. There arc always i plenty of dairy farmers who fully believe in breeding up and weeding out, but the . trouble is they never get started of their own volition. Tho emissary's duty is to show them how to get started with a minimum amount of expense and trouble to themselves. When the owners of forty or more, cows are brought to agree to or- ; ganlso and abide by the vulos of the association for at least six years, tho initial work has been completed. The associa- -. 'lion is then divided into three sections or branches, and the members are allowed to select their choice of breed of dairy . sire, to bo used in their herds. Purebred • bulls are, of course, selected. Por the : first, two years three bulls are used with- ; out any charge, one bull being allotted ■: to each of the three branches of the as--1 Rjciation. In the third year there is a .' : general change, by putting No. 1 ■ bull ■ in place of No, 2 or 3 bull, as the case \ may be. By the end of six years all the herds in the association -have had the use ; of these specially selected mire bulls at far less expense than would have otherwise been incurred, and the herds have 1 been graded up to a high standard of ■purity and excellence. The practice has not been long established, but if. is al- ;' :-ready evident, that it will bo continued indefinitely, as the grading-iip process dhows such 'good financial results that . there is no danger of a backslide amongst members of tho association.