LIVESTOCK AND LIVESTOCK PRODUCTS 33 



Milk Cows. 



Estimates of milk cows of all breeds kept mainly for milk purposes and 

 include a certain percentage of beef type cows when used chiefly for milk 

 production. Up until January, 1926, the estimates of milk cows have included, as 

 to age, all cows and heifers one year old and over intended for milk. 



The present estimates have made a further segregation to show numbers of 

 cows and heifers two years old and over kept for milk purposes and heifers of 

 one to two years intended for milk. Preceding estimates to 1920 have been re- 

 vised to show a similar classification and in their new form are as follows: 



The total as shown in column three of the above table is a comparable figure 

 to use in connection with estimates preceding 1920, representing as it does the 

 older classification. 



Milk cows in Montana have shown a deciced upward srwing in the past 10 

 years, the total including heifers on January 1, 1926, of 228,000 head comparing 

 with 125,000 head in 1916. 



Manufactured Dairy Products. 



Parallel with the increase in numbers of milk cows in Montana there has 

 been a corresponding increase in manufactured dairy products. From 42 cream- 

 eries in 1918 the number has increased to 74 as reported by the State Dairy Com- 

 missioner for 1925. Cheese factories increased from three in 1918 to nine in 1925, 

 and ice cream manufacturing plants from 42 in 1918 to 88 in 1925. Production 

 of creamery butter increased from 4,580,920 pounds in 1918 to 14,795,010 pounds in 

 1925, while the output of cheese has grown from 484,864 pounds in 1918 to 1,404,558 

 pounds in 1925. Ice cream has increased from a total of 427,279 gallons in 

 1918 to 761,636 gallons in 1925. The table following shows the annual production 

 of these items by years from 1918 to 1925. The 1918 data is that reported by the 

 United States Bureau of Markets and that for succeeding years has been com- 

 piled by the office of the State Dairy Commissioner. 



