MICHIGAN STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 429 



REPORTS OF EXECUTIVE STTPERINTENDENTS. 



CATTLE. 



To the President aud Officers of the Michigan State Agricultnral So- 

 ciety : 



Your superintendent of cattle wonhl offer tlie following report: 



The year of 1!)07 would seem to make an e]»och in the cattle exhibit 

 at the Michigan State Fair. Not that it exceeded in numbers all pre- 

 vious shows or that every individual shown was better than those of 

 other years, but taken as a whole, and giving consideration, the num- 

 bers, the uniform quality, and the fact that eighty-one per cent of the 

 cattle on exhibition were Michigan cattle, and the further fact that 

 eighty-six per cent of the money in the open class was won by Michi- 

 gan cattle. 



These facts of which all Michigan men may be proud are an evi- 

 dence that Michigan is taking the place as a producer of high class 

 cattle to which she is justly entitled. 



To make special mention of individual exhibits in this report would 

 be well nigh impossible but it will perhaps suffice to say that almost 

 without exception the class of cattle shown at this exhibition was of 

 the highest merit and the only regret is that we were not able to 

 award prizes to all. 



In numbers the Holsteins were in the lead with one hundred and 

 thirty-four head from ten herds. Next came the Short Horns with one 

 hundred twenty-six head of very high quality. Special mention should 

 be made in this connection of one animal in particular shown in the 

 dairy test bv W. W. Collier of Detroit, a three year old Short Horn 

 cow that should have won out in the special dairy test and would have 

 done so except for technical rules by the American Short Horn Associa- 

 tion governing these tests. She, however, made a good record and is but 

 another instance of the value of the Short Horn as a dual purpose cow. 



All breeds named in the premium list were represented. The Brown 

 Swiss and Ayrshires, which heretofore have been absent, were out in 

 good force. While we were short of room to care for all, the exhibitors 

 were uniformly good natured and showed a disposition to put up with 

 inconveniences. With the large cattle show that is likely to be made 

 at our fair, there is need for still more room for housing them. Also 

 provision should be made for room for food for the cattle, and also 

 for bunks for the attendants where they have comfortable quarters with- 

 out infringing on the space which should be occupied by cattle. 



The question of the revision of the prize list is one that should re- 

 ceive cai'eful attention by this board. That the double classification 

 now existing is the subject of much annoyance and dissatisfaction is 

 well known. Just what is best to do to remedy this evil is a question 

 upon which we shall not all agree. After giving the matter careful 

 attention and discussing it with many fair aud exposition officials, and 

 those who have long been in the show business, T am of the opinion 

 that the best solution of the problem is the single class carrying the 



