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Dairy Production Research in the United States Department of Agriculture

Dairy Husbandry Research Branch, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, Md.

ABSTRACT

Research, demonstration, and the collection and dissemination of information useful to the dairy farmer have been carried on in the United States Department of Agriculture for about 70 years. The first work was done by the Bureau of Animal Industry. During the last quarter of the 19th century the dairy industry had grown to such prominence in the agricultural economy that Congress enacted legislation to establish a special Dairy Division in the Bureau of Animal Industry to pursue research and education for the benefit of that industry.

While the dairy industry was making rapid growth at this time, it was at a low state of efficiency. In 1890 there were about 15 million cows kept for milk on farms. Their average production was about 2,700 lb. of milk and 115 lb. of butterfat. Knowledge of feeding and the production of efficient, low-cost feed supplies was limited. There was no testing program to guide farmers in their breeding and feeding operations or in culling poor cows from their herds. Methods of producing milk of high sanitary quality were inadequate.