58 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



cow's milk by itself and skimming and churning it separately. 

 This made much work but it paid. For the year of 1895 the 

 cows of my dairy that were four years old and over averaged 

 329 pounds, and the average of the entire herd was a little over 

 300 pounds per cow. This work must be taken hold of with a 

 grip that allows no slipping, when it will prove not only profitable 

 but instructive. I found cows in my dairy that would eat up 

 the profit of another cow that made 265 pounds of butter per 

 year. The two cows paid me nothing. When the poor one was 

 sold the better one paid me $12.00 to $15.00 yearly. 



There are thousands of such cases in the dairies of the United 

 States. Here is a matter in which we can help ourselves. Here 

 we can come nearer lifting ourselves by our boot straps than in 

 any other way I can think of. We do not need to ask for 

 legislation unless it is to compel us to improve our opportunities. 

 Some of us need this without doubt, but we would rebel against 

 it of course. That is man nature — foolish man nature. 



I believe it is entirely practical to secure by a few years per- 

 sistent, intelligent work, a dairy that will produce an average 

 above 300 lbs. of butter yearly. After we have learned the 

 ability of each cow for profit we are in shape to help ourselves 

 by intelligent breeding. 



Remember always that the bull is one half the herd when it 

 comes to raising calves, and do not let a few dollars come 

 between you and a choice animal. I breed to have the heifers drop 

 their first calves at two years of age. I believe I secure better 

 milch cows in this way than by waiting until they are a year 

 older. 



Unprofitable cows should be fattened while being milked. 

 This can be done by heavy feeding, and there is less loss by so 

 doing than any other way I have learned of. 



The point that has most frequently attracted my attention is 

 the palatability of the food. This is the key to the situation 

 and must be closely looked after. A satisfactory profit comes 

 with a palatable food, and it does not come without it, for the 

 reason that the cow will not consume enough above the food of 

 support to make a satisfactory profit. 



