Show neola cooperative bull association Is organized the neola cooperative D bull ull association has been organized with each block having sixty COWS cowa and the cost wr iper cow 1200 in this connection dairymen ot of the coultry rou atry might consider the study ot of a s summary u ot of 18 cooperative bull associations in idaho made to I 1 determine the results obtained la in improving dairy herds herda cooperative bull associations reduced investment in bulls per man and per cow although the average rag e investment per bull was abo tor for those displaced comp compared ared to 0 08 0 tor for association bulls bull s the average investment for farmers previously owning bulls was reduced from an aver average age of per man and per cow represented to per farmer and iper ier cow after organization the cost per farmer gr cor all the association members including farmers not mot previously owning bulls was and per TOW cow maintenance cost per bull was reduced before organization the maintenance cost ot of each bull was charged to one farmer owning ai i 1 I average of 10 cows while after organization the maintenance cost was charged to an average of four farmers owning a total of 33 cows bull associations supplied better quality bulls bulli previous to lion 50 per cent of the farmers were using beet beef bulls 12 per cent wera using grade lairy dairy bulls and 29 per cent were using purebred dairy bulls of bulls displaced only 77 percent were out of cows with bu butter L fat records while 82 ot of the association bulls were out of cows with an average record of pounds of butterfat butter tat bull associations tend to standardize the herds herda to one breed at the time of organization 49 percent of the cows cows were of the same breed as the association bulls but after operating an average of four years his was increased to 73 per cent of herds ads 29 per cent were standardized to one breed in the beginning in four years per cent of the other herds were completely standardized interest in improved d cattle was shown by the purchase of purebred and high grade females tor for foundation rattle cattle heltor calves sired by association i bulls sold for more per calf than calves by other bulls in the community the production of 48 daughters of 16 association bulls was pounds of fat per cent greater than that of the dams bull to develop better dairy practices such as tuberculin testing membership in dairy lierd herd improvement associations bet ter feeding and management manage meat the quality of bulls selected and their condition condit loa as influenced by feeding and management were vital factors in the progress of the association the average annual feed feea co cost coi i for in an association bull was which together with labor costs of 2900 and shed and pen pea depreciation of made a total annual cost of results indicate that bull pens of 1800 0 square fee or less were too small email size of pens Is kept down b by cost of construction the cost of materials for pens varied from to averaging the cost of materials tor for pens and sheds combined varied from 2300 to averaging A completely satisfactory aethol methol of payment of caretaker of the bull has not yet been devised but the use of service tees fees la is the most common this la Is an important problem 0 of f tho the members 74 7 der per percent cent used the association aes bulls re ly during the past year 20 per cent used them only partially and 6 per ent cent e did not i use them at all or i and 11 d managed out accounted for 72 per cent ot of the reas one ona given for or only partial use 0 of association bu bulls ils and 67 per der cent ot of the cases where the bulls bulla were wera not used at all the biggest blaile sla ile factor in the failure to us use ciol bulls was the distance inthea feces sary to lead cows caretakers Caret akeis represent 26 29 per cent of 0 the members and owned 41 1 per cent of the cows of the other members 43 per cent were within halt a mile ot of the bull 68 per cent within a mile and per cent over a mile only per cent as aa many of 0 the cownover cow cows avei a mile distant were bred to association bulls as were w are bred within a mile there has been a tendency tor for the size of herds in the association to increase at the time of organization the average size ot of herds was 5 57 7 cows while now it la is 80 cows the proportion othelda ot of 10 cows or more has increased in the beginning ginning ba 67 per celt beai of the members lacked enough shares to represent all their cows cow ot of breeding age and cow 87 per cant lia ha va insufficient shares town blocks have not proven successful due to small email herds and lack ot of interest the average annual loss ot of members em lias has been per cent nt one ona halt half of the lost members quit the dairy business or left the community the other losses were lis listed tedas an two thirds from unavoidable causes over 40 per cent of the arold able causes were given as necessary to lead cows to date 20 per cent of the original blacks blocks have disbanded and ot of these nearly one oie halt half have been in single member blocks ot of the original bulls 31 or 28 per cent have been lost to service ln n the association to date such factors as constitution and bylaws by laws and selection of officers are very v ry important in organization large bull associations have bon more successful than several sep arate associations of 0 the same bred I 1 in a c county single member blocks may be organized but the chance of loss loaa la is greater thai than in im blocks composed of 0 several members proper financing of an tion elon in the be beginning inning la Is important to its success A sinking fund should be created to insure continuous up operation era tion maintaining the interest of the bumbers in thi the association la Is one of the most moat important factors of success this can be done by toura fours shows and meetings annual meetings are ess essential in ii an association to keep ahe the members advised of progress made and discuss problem rob louis of management and outline plona pima for the future |