STATE DAIRY ASSOCIATION. 345 



THE PROBLEM OF DAIRY CATTLE IMPROVEMENT. 



(By Hon. A. S. Ennis, California, Mo.) 



There is no subject that can come before this Association of more 

 importance to the people here assembled than the subject of this paper. 

 In spite of the hundreds of splendid cows in this State, the average milk 

 production is stated to be considerably less than 3,000 pounds, and butter 

 less than 150 pounds per year per cow. It follows that thie owners of 

 these averag-e cows, and many of the cows above the average, and all 

 of the cows below the average, must be interested in the improvement 

 of their dairy cattle. Their future prosperity in the dairy business will 

 be measured more by the extent of the improvement of their cows than 

 by any other one thing, if not all other things. 



Several years ago the writer visited one of the dairies adjacent to 

 Jefferson City, and was told before going that this particular dairy ranked 

 as one of the best here. I found cows in very good condition and very 

 well fed — not very well stabled. Amongst many questions I asked was,. 

 if his herd would average a gallon a day the year round. His reply 

 was : "It takes a mighty good cow to average a gallon of milk a day 

 the year round." Now, my friends, a "mighty good" cow ought to 

 average three gallons of milk per day for the year (if a Jersey) and 

 more if a Holstein or Ayrshire. In improving a herd of grade Jerseys 

 I would set the mark at two gallons per day of 5 per cent milk, and if 

 some other breed, then let them produce the equivalent to this. You can 

 reach this mark, and it can then be set higher. 



SIX REQUISITES FOR SUCCESS. 



There are six things that I wish to briefly mention in the discussion 

 of this subject, viz. : Know what your cows are doing ; dispose of your 

 unprofitable cows ; select a proper sire for your coming herd ; (this is the 

 most important of all). Then, your feed, your stable and proper treat- 

 ment of your cows. 



First — Know what your cows are doing. In other words, weigh 

 and test your milk. If you can not weigh each milking and test each 

 cow once a week, as the most of you can not at the present time, then 

 try to weigh the milk and make a test on the loth, 20th and 30th of each 

 month, weighing and testing each cow's milk separately, and mark it 

 down on a ruled sheet of paper, using a separate sheet for each cow. 

 This is not nearly as big a job as you will imagine it to be, and if you 

 make these tests on regular days three times a month, you will have 



