Official Milk Recording has been operated in Scotland since 1904. The Association came into being in 1914. The objects of the Association as laid down by the Constitution and Rules are:

• (1) To foster and improve the milking qualities of Cows in Scotland, and

• (2) To institute on a public and reliable basis, the taking of daily or periodic tests of Cows for quantity and quality of milk.

To meet the terms of this Constitution a system has been evolved whereby a Recorder visits the farms of milk recording herd owners at intervals of 24-28 days, weighs the milk of all cows in milk in the herd, and tests for butterfat in respect of all cows which are to be included in the record. While the milk of all cows must be weighed, butterfat testing in respect of all cows is not essential.