STATE DAIRY ASSOCIATION. 381 



an average farmer, then perhaps there is such a thing as a dual purpose 

 cow; but we want to see the dairymen of Missouri do more than make 

 a mere Hving. We want to see them have good homes and educate their 

 children. And if you keep a cow that will yield 300 pounds of butter fat, 

 it will be better for you. Now, have I made my position clear ? I believe 

 it is possible for a man to keep a class of beef cows that will yield a 

 reasonable amount of milk. I believe also that if a man is going to be 

 a special dairyman he should choose a special dairy cow ; and also be- 

 lieve that the Missouri farmer should begin with the cows he has, and as 

 he grows in the business begin to select cows. Select those that come 

 from long ancestry, that have a record of producing large amounts of 

 milk and butter, and gradually grow into the milk and butter business. 

 It is not beyond your pocket book to have a good dairy cow if you begin 

 slowly and grow into it. I would rather see any man grow in the busi- 

 ness than to go into it. 



Mr. Ashburn — The closing sentences of that very nicely written 

 paper was a staggerer. It may be true — I will not say it is not true, but it 

 staggered me. It said that the best milkers among the dual purpose 

 cows produced the best beef calves. Now, I believe it is largely a ques- 

 tion of type— not so much of breed nor perhaps of size as it is of type. 

 I believe that the cow that can yield us a large amount of milk is going 

 to be the lean cow ; she is not going to carry much flesh ; get the cow with 

 a large stomach ; that's her type ; don't care what breed she is. Don't 

 believe you can have the cow that will give you an equally large amount 

 of milk and carry a large amount of flesh. She cannot do two things at 

 the same time, and she is either going to put her food into milk or beef. 

 If she has got the beef type she will put it into beef; and if she has got 

 the milk type she will put it in milk. But the statement that the' best 

 milkers among that class are going to produce the best beef steers is a 

 staggerer. I have handled that class — Durhams — 275 of them at a time ; 

 high-class Durhams, kept in Northeastern Ohio for many generations 

 for dairy purposes ; and I believe I got good results and was satisfied at 

 that time ; but I say my best milkers were not my best beefers by a long 

 ways, and I don't believe it is consistent. I have no objection to a man 

 who wants to take that kind of a cow and wants to have a dairy side 

 to his work and a milk side to his work ; but I say stick to the doctrine 

 that is true; and ybu will find that beef cow will be a great exception 

 who will be also the copious milker, and we want to stay along lines of 

 actual facts and know what to expect, and not expect we are going to get 

 two things at the same time from the same cow, and that she can do two 

 things at the same time with the same food. The trouble with a great 



