EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V 297 



practically double that paid before the war and more than can be 

 paid by the creamery or cheese factory at the prevailing prices for 

 butter and cheese. 



This increase in price, however, has not stimulated increased 

 production owing to the fact that the price of a cow's feed has 

 advanced more than has the price of her products, and farm labor 

 is -scarce and demands higher wages. Cows are also selling for 

 such a high price for beef that many farmer-dairymen are of the 

 opinion that they can make more money selling their surplus cows 

 for beef and selling their grains, hay and ruffage on the open 

 market than they can by feeding these products to the cow and 

 selling her output. Noticeable evidence that this opinion prevails 

 among the farmer-dairymen in several sections of the state was 

 seen this fall while visiting producing districts and finding such 

 a small percentage of the silos filled. 



Practically all Iowa cities have experienced a shortage of milk 

 during the past year. And while these shortages have in most 

 cases been temporary, the distributors have been compelled to pur- 

 chase milk in a new territory or buy it in competition with those 

 willing to pay a high price. This situation has not only increased 

 the original cost of milk to the distributor but there has been added 

 an increased buying expense and greater transportation charges to 

 bring the milk from newer and more remote districts. 



It has been our experience in the past that strong competition 

 in buying milk has a tendency to result in the production of lower 

 quality milk and it has been a surprise to us to see the quality 

 of the milk continue to be as good as that sold before there was 

 so much competitive buying. 



This year we continued the Market ]\Iilk Contest, as inaugurated 

 last year at the Dairy Cattle Congress at "Waterloo. Samples of 

 milk were secured by the local inspectors in their respective cities, 

 forwarded to this laboratory for official scoring and exhibited 

 at that show. 



It is gratifying to us to note that the average score of all these 

 samples for this year was about 3.65 points higher than were the 

 averages last year. It is also a noticeable fact that the higher 

 average scores by cities and the highest increased scores over 

 last year were found in those cities having milk inspectors who 

 devote their entire time to inspection work and are paid adequate 

 salaries. 



