As their dependence on cows increased, Vermont farmers bred and raised
animals that fit their needs. As with sheep earlier in its history, Vermont
became known for its championship dairy stock. Though some farmers kept
Holstein and Ayrshire herds, the Jersey breed pre-dominated in Vermont
into the mid-twentieth century. A Jersey herd from West Randolph won first
prize for its butter at the Paris Exposition in 1890 and again at the
World’s Columbian Exposition in 1893.
The Vermont Dairyman’s Association was formed in 1869, the first
association of this type in the country, and it was a vocal and successful
advocate for scientific breeding practices and the development of new
technology. Its efforts were supported by the work of the State Agricultural
College at the University of Vermont. After the successful introduction
of the centrifugal cream separator and the Babcock tester in the 1890s,
Vermont’s dairy products were rated as some of the best in the world.
BABCOCK
TESTER
Invented
in 1890 by Stephen Babcock, the Babcock Tester measured
the butterfat content in milk and cream. State legislation made it the
standard for testing in 1898 and in 1899 the legislature required operators
to have a license.
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