DAIRY BREEDS IN DENMARK.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2000, 6 March 1914, Page 10

DAIRY BREEDS IN DENMARK.

FOSTERED .BY- GOVERNMENT.- ■ •Perhaps in no other country aro the livestock interests aided and fostered by tho Government as in Denmark. At the present time they have- 267 horsebreeding associations, 1072 cattlc-broed-ing-associatiqns, 210 swine-breeding associations, ■ 104 sheep-breeding associations, and 524 cow-testing associations.. In addition there aro cooperative stores or consumers' associations. , Tho first of"these .stores was started in 1866, and they now number about-1300. There is also a- central association, tho chief purpose, of which is to buy supplies for tho various' other associations and, when circumstances have- demanded it," it has reached-out by building factories. Denmark has 1188 coroporative creameries and cheese- factories or dairy associations. There are numerous slaughterhouse associations ,or bacon factories, and the co-operative egg export associations which comprise 550 local associations, with a membership of 45,000 farmers. Thesp statistics indicate tho extent of co-operation iii Denmark. The cow-testing associations have been a great boon to the farmers, as they are, enabled through them to ascertain exactly what their cows aro producing for tho feed consumed, a record being kept of the feed as well as tho fat. These associations have-ibeou the means of raising the standard of cattle until, at the present time, the average butter production in. Denmark.is 2201b. per cow. , The average of tho 40,000 cows in tho testing associations is 2851b. ' Of the various kinds of cattle kept in Denmark the Red Danish seem to predominate. Next to the Bed Danish in numbers aro the Jutland cattle, black and white: animals. There aro more Jersey cattle in Denmark than there are in the Island/of Jersey. A great manyv;Shorthorns are also iound in Denmark. ■ A breed of cattle to bo successful in Denmark must have good milkers and butter-fat producers. They have a perfect system of keeping records and use what is. termed .thefamily book. In this book 'is kept the record of tho drfm for s.overal'generations, as well as tho record of the sire, so that anyone desiring to purchase a bull can trace .back his record on both sides. Tho result is a noticeable increase in late years in milk production, and ir. the fat content. The Red Danish is 'a purely Danish breed of cattle, and it is:claimed by some of the Danes •;that they aro. the most economical, producers of any of the dairy .breeds. During the'.pasf twelve years, a wonderful change' lias fieeii made in this breed, not only as to the quantity of butter produced per cow, but also in the , , size of the animals. 'Better feeding methods have, developed larger frames and stronger constitutions. In addition to this-/the Red Danish cattle breed true to colour. Forty thousand cows of this breed produced'ill.'l9o9-lONan averago of 07741b.- of milk.-por- cow and 2641b. of. butter. Thirty-eight'thousand cows, belonging t<) more*, than 2700 herds averaged in 1910-11., 71001b. of milk, with a. test of 3.53,.0Kan average butter production per cow of 2801b; These records were made iiuder normal conditions. The great success of the Danish, .people is due to their intelligent methods in breeding, and building-.im' their herds, and the- excellent care given the;.cattlp. In Dgnma'r,k,-..as..in many JMiropean car.e-fpr' to aye/'yiWrgSicxtent: I '$'>