54 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



the breed. The exhibit was regarded by Red Polled cattle supporters 

 and admirers as one of the most representative of the breed that has 

 been seen in recent years. In the absence of Prof. Andrew Boss, of the 

 Minnesota Agricultural College, who had been booked to award the 

 prizes, the position was most satisfactorily filled by his associate, W. F. 

 Handschin. In picking his winners Mr. Handschiu, while not losing 

 sight of the beef type, sought for the animals showing marked milk- 

 producing tendencies. He found the best embodiment of the dual-pur- 

 pose idea in the aged bull, Logan; the yearling, Medler, and the heifers, 

 Inez and Lady Dortha 2d. These it will be noted were chosen as the 

 champions of the breed. 



QUEBNSEYS. 



To prove that this Channel Island breed is steadily gaining in popularity 

 among corn-belt farmers, it is only necessary to point to the growth of 

 the Iowa State Fair Guernsey show. There was a time, and that but a 

 few years ago, when a herd of these cattle shown on the western circuit 

 would be regarded as an interesting curiosity by the rank and file of 

 ringside visitors. He was indeed the exception who took the pains to 

 inform himself as to their profit-producing qualities. In recent years, 

 however, the showing of Guernseys has been one of the features of the 

 live stock end of the Des Moines show and now the judging of the 

 classes is always followed with great interest by large numbers from 

 practically every section of the state. This new order of things has, of 

 course, been brought about partially by certain economic conditions which 

 have forced the dairy cow upon the attention of the farmers of the great 

 corn belt and even more by the persistent efforts of a group of enthusias- 

 tic and equally resourceful supporters of the breed. These men in com- 

 mon with the great mass of their fellow farmers have realized that the 

 average and for that matter the great bulk of the cows kept upon Iowa 

 farms have been boarders or have produced at an absolute loss. The or- 

 ganization of the Iowa Dairy Cow Contest leads the way, not only in 

 Iowa, but in several adjoining states as well, for some of the most ef- 

 fective campaigning for increased production and incidentally for the 

 exploitation of the respective merits of the several breeds which has ever 

 been done in this country. All breeds have profited by this publicity, 

 but winning in the milk and butter fat competition the Guernseys have 

 perhaps gained most in favor with the public. Five herds, in the aggre- 

 gate containing some sixty odd head, with but a very few at all unsatis- 

 factory, either in character or condition, made up the exhibit. Professor 

 Grout, of the dairy division of the Minnesota Agricultural College, made 

 the awards, and with but a few exceptions his decisions were well re- 

 ceived. Among the aged bulls the third-prize winner in 1910, Glen- 

 wood's Combination 5th, was clearly entitled to the best the judge had to 

 offer. When shown for the grand championship, however, he was worsted 

 by a youngster from Alderney, Prince 2d, a son of one of the leading bulls 

 on that island. Lord Mar of Manor, gotten by the grand champion of 

 1910, had been slated for the head of the two-year-old line-up, but the 

 judge liked the bodying of the King of the May entry and so gave him 



