496 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



other year it will undoubtedly be possible to say that from seventy-five to 

 ninety percent of the members of the dairy industry are supporting the 

 Council work. This we feel should cause every member who is how sup- 

 porting it to feel gratified that he is contributing to the work of an organ- 

 ization whose worth is recognized by all of those engaged in the dairy 

 business and one which will continue to develop rapidly and establish its 

 results upon the minds of the buying public in such a way that the dairy 

 products market will be continuously satisfactory. 



THE IOWA STATE DAIRY ASSOCIATION— ITS WORK 

 By E. S. Estel, State Dairy Expert 



The annual report of the Iowa State Dairy Association has differed 

 from year to year insofar as the demand for the different types of work 

 has made it necessary. Those who were familiar with the early history 

 of the Association will remember that its efforts were largely spent in 

 carrying on propaganda work for the purpose of educating the Iowa 

 farmer to the value of the dairy cow. This work is no longer necessary, 

 however, and at the present time more of a definite personal touch has 

 been necessary to assist those men starting in the dairy work. 



During the past few years the dairy calf club work with the creameries 

 and dairy interests of the state has proven very profitable and in in- 

 creased demand. Dairy farmers have realized that they cannot longer 

 continue with the original type of low producing cows found in the aver- 

 age community and there has been a strong demand for good dairy 

 stock both in the form of calves and of mature cows. The calf club work 

 was started around creameries or in sections where there is a good de- 

 mand for milk and butterfat by the introduction of grade dairy heifers. 

 These heifers were put in the hands of boys and girls, the banks taking 

 their note similar to the organization of all forms of club work. These 

 calves were carefully selected by competent judges in some of the dairy 

 districts and have proven highly satisfactory. They are and have been 

 in milk for a period of a year or more and are a decided improvement 

 over the class of milk cows in the average section. 



The first grade clubs were organized by the Association in 1917. At 

 that time the work was new and it has been necessary since to make 

 several changes in the rules and regulations which have governed the 

 club members. We have found that wherever the interest locally was 

 strong enough to give the proper amount of fo low-up work, the clubs have 

 maintained a strong interest on the part of the members as well as dis- 

 interested parties in the community. The first grade heifers secured 

 were purchased at the ages of from 6 to 8 months old — when they are off 

 of milk. Following this first year's work a change has been made and 

 all of the calves have been purchased when from 3 to 6 weeks of age. 

 They have at this age been bought more nearly worth the money, the 

 owners can by proper feeding, develop them just as fast as they deem 

 advisable, and there is not the danger of securing stunted calves. These 



