EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK-PART VII. 347 



But I fear that there are some of our producers who are not receiving 

 all that they are entitled to. Advantage is taken of the position of the 

 producer, advantages are taken of his ignorance of values as related to 

 dairy products, of his ignorance of factors in creamery management. It 

 would seem that if we are to encourage dairying in this state, if we are to 

 arouse any sort of interest in districts where little or none exists, we 

 should be willing to so exert ourselves to manufacture in the greatest 

 possible quantity conducive with best quality the raw material given into 

 our hands, to so manage our business that we can, while obtaining for 

 ourselves the maximum lawful and just returns for labor and capital in- 

 vested, give to the producer every cent possible. Not only must we en- 

 courage dairying by cultivating in a greater degree that spirit of confi- 

 dence between producer and manufacturer that is so essential to in- 

 creased business enterprise, but we must, to a still greater degree, en- 

 courage dairying by stimulating increased interest in better cows. If 

 you can get your patrons to see the importance of proper breeding, weed- 

 ing and feeding you have in part solved the question of quality and in no 

 small degree done away with that harrowing competition between neigh- 

 boring creameries by supplying close at hand the necessary raw material. 



You as makers and managers should also be fully informed as to the* 

 latest triumphs in dairy production. Are you aware that there is a cow, 

 Colantha's 4th Johanna, who bids fair to beat all official records of pro- 

 duction, even that wonderful record of Yexka Sunbeam, of over 1,000 

 pounds butter in one year? Are you aware that there are a large number 

 of cows which have produced over 500 pounds butter fat per year? 

 Do you know that there are dairy herds of 30 cows and more which pro- 

 duce over 450 pounds butter fat per cow per year? Are you familiar with 

 the high prices that are being paid for dairy excellence as it is found 

 in individual animals when $10,000, $15,000 and $20,000 is not considered 

 too much to pay for blood of the right strain? Knowing these things, are 

 you making use of these facts to stimulate the dairymen of your district 

 to still greater achievements in dairy production? 



On the other hand, do you know that of the many cows that are being 

 milked in this state nearly 500,000, or one-third, are being kept at a loss? 

 What are you doing to aid the producers of this state to get rid of these 

 parasites? Are you advocating the beef cow, the dual purpose cow, or the 

 special dairy cow to the producers of this state? I can understand why 

 breeders of pure beef stock are advocating the former two types, but I can- 

 not understand why dairymen, wherever found, should not advocate the 

 special dairy cow. With land worth $100 to $125 per acre, she alone at 

 ruling market prices can return to her owner a margin of profit over and 

 above value of money invested in land and labor. She can, in a single 

 year, if she is the right type and handled in a proper manner, produce 

 in value, in butter fat and skim milk, as much as the selling price of 

 two steers, in many cases ten times the profit. Not only that, but she 

 can do it over again the next year. Many of us are afraid to mention a 

 special dairy cow to our patrons much less advocate them. It would seem 

 as if we were ashamed of her. Is it any wonder then that she is ignored 

 by those not so well informed as we are or should be in matters pertaining 

 to dairying? 



