Thirty-sixth Annual 'Convention 945 



man who keeps cows that possibly do not produce over 130 to 140 

 pounds a year, which is the average of cows kept in this country. 

 Dairying might appeal to him as dmdgery, but to ihe man that 

 has a herd that produces 300, 350 or even 400 pounds, I guaran- 

 tee that dairying does not appeal to that num as drudgery. Such 

 herds are possible and practicable. 



1 visited the European countries some years ago, and found 

 that on the high-priced land everywhere dairying was carried on 

 extensively. Not only this, but I was told that land in the old 

 dairy sections was more fertile to-day than it was fifty years ago, 

 notwithstanding the fact that it was continually tilled. Most of 

 this land sells for from three to four times as much per acre as 

 land in this state, yet their soil is naturally not any better, and 

 the markets are not much better, if any. 



Cooperation among farmers for bringing in better sires, which 

 would mean better herds or better cows, I think would stimulate 

 dairying prohably more than anything else that could be done. 

 The benefit of good sires has been appreciated by the men who 

 own the large ranches in the West ; and the large railroad 

 corporations have in some cases brought in good sires of different 

 breeds and given them to the people along their particular roads 

 for improving their stock, so that the tonnage of live stock would 

 be increased in the near future, in fact, some of the best stock 

 that is produced on our Western ranches was obtained in this 

 way. 



The State of ISTew York, owing to its adaptability to the growth 

 of various forage plants and to excellent climatic conditions, in 

 addition to an abundant supply of pure water and close 

 proximity to isome of the best markets in the world, should be 

 one of the leading dairy sections of the world. I thank you. 



CiiAiRiMAN Elwood: The meeting is now open for any ques- 

 tions. I know Prof. McKay will be glad to answer them. 



Mr. Bundy of Meridale: I would like to ask Professor 

 McKay what he considers the fat standard. 



Prof. McKay: I consider 80 per cent, a fair and just fat 

 standard for this country. Eighty per cent, fat is practically the 

 standard we have at the present time ; that is, normally speaking, 

 the casein present in butter runs from about 3/4 to 1 1/2 per 



