TWENTY-FIRST ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART VI 499 



club with a show and annual get-together at the end of each year. This 

 keeps the people of the community more closely in touch with the work 

 and gives them an idea also of the results being accomplished. 



• 



Age of Calves 



The age of the calves used in the club has always varied. The use of 

 calves from 6 to 12 months of age has been advocated because we did 

 not want to get clear away from tb.e calf idea. The first important thing 

 I believe, is to buy the calves at an age old enough so that they may be 

 secured subject to the tuberculin test. Calves purchased at the age of 

 from 6 to 10 months can still be considered calves and are still consid- 

 ered such by the boy and girl members. Two different clubs were or- 

 ganized in which bred heifers were used. From the standpoint of actual 

 profit to the club member and from the quickness of the returns to be 

 expected this is a more ideal arrangement but it is our belief that the 

 club member does not get the personal interest in a yearling or two- 

 year-old heifer that he or she would in a younger calf. In Wisconsin 

 the club work is carried on and the majority of the calves selected when 

 from 3 to 6 weeks of age. It is true that calves of this age can be bought 

 at a much cheaper price and there is the advantage of the attachment 

 the boy or girl gets for a younger calf but at the same time it Is our 

 belief that the risk run in not being able to buy them subject to tuber- 

 culin test is too gi'eat to be chanced. 



Fayette County Club 



The first purebred heifer club was organized in Fayette County in the 

 spring of 1919. Fayette County is one of the leading counties from the 

 standpoint of the number of Holstein breeders and they are an enthu- 

 siastic bunch. Their organization, through the work of the county 

 agent, made this original club a pronounced success. Every breeder left 

 the standing offer with all club members that he would be glad to furnish 

 free services of his herd sire when the heifers came of breeding age. 

 This interest of the breeders together with the mighty effective follow-up 

 work kept the members hard at work on their calves. 



The breeders considered that this club was more of an experiment and 

 were not ready to take up the three-year idea. For that reason the wind- 

 up of the club in the form of a show and sale was made one year later. 

 The heifers were brought into the sale in exceptional condition. I rather 

 doubt if any of our purebred sales can boast of cattle that were uni- 

 formly better fitted than this bunch of calf club heifers. In accordance 

 with the plan of the club every member was to have the right of buying 

 back his or her heifer in the sale by the mere payment of the amount of 

 the note. The sale was an exceptional success, making an average of 

 $610 per head which was an average increase of $460 over the purchase 

 price. This sale price, however, is hardly a fair one since all but a few 

 of the boys and girls availed themselves of the opportunity of repurchas- 

 ing their heifers. Buyers, however, were present and their demand for 



