316 IOWA DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE 



which assist the farmer in solving the problems which confront 

 him with reference to his dairy herd. They are written with the 

 idea of assisting the creameries in improving the quality and quan- 

 tity of raw product. The newspapers are lending their assistance 

 by giving the information a prominent place in their columns. 



A service department to assist the man just entering the dairy 

 business to locate and purchase foundation animals for his herd 

 was also conducted. The object of this department is to bring 

 the man who has dairy cattle for sale in contact with the man 

 who wishes to buy. A large number of farmers have taken ad- 

 vantage of this service and many of them have been enabled to 

 purchase the animals they desired at a much smaller expense than 

 if they had attempted to locate the stock themselves. It has been 

 a means of encouraging the purchase of pure bred dairy sires 

 to head herds of ordinary type in many sections of the state. 



One of the important features of the work has been the estab- 

 lishment of the Dairy Cattle Congress in conjunction with the 

 annual convention. This year the show was unsurpassed by any 

 similar event. It brings dairy cattle breeders with their choice 

 animals from every part of the United States and offers the farm- 

 ers of not only Iowa, but the Mississippi Valley an opportunity 

 to become acquainted with the various breeds. Premiums are of- 

 fered for butter, cheese, and milk, which in addition to the dis- 

 play of dairy api^liances and farm implements, bring thousands 

 of prosperous farmers. The convention proper is held in a build- 

 ing on the grounds, the subjects of interest to the buttermakers. 

 creamery men and dairymen are discussed by authorities of na- 

 tional reputation. 



The Iowa State Dairy Association in all of its work has been 

 assisted in a large measure by the other dairy interests of the 

 state. Chief among these is the Dairy and Food Department which 

 had a number of speakers on the trains throughout the tours and 

 also co-operated in all of the other work. The individual dairy- 

 men have also sacrificed portions of their time to educating their 

 brother farmers in better methods of and giving them the benefit 

 of valuable experience. The Dairy Department of Iowa State 

 College and the State Veterinary Department have also given a 

 great deal of assistance from time to time. 



