48 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION 



any of them, but go into some one and stick to it. Whatever 

 breed you take, stick to it, don't be changing around." Well, 

 we studied on it a little, and finally thought we would get Ayr- 

 shires. But when we come to look it up, we found it would be 

 hard for us to start with them because there not any near us, 

 and it would be quite a hard matter for us to get hold of any 

 cattle of that breed. We finally decided on Holsteins 



We went in the first place and bought some registered cows, 

 and bought a registered sire. We started in that way. I have 

 some figures that show the yearly record. 



The first year's record we burned up we were so ashamed of 

 it. Why, it makes a man feel pretty small when he sees what 

 some of the herds these dairymen have been doing. But I be- 

 lieve we are on the right road now. 



Here is Thomas Bros, yearly record for 1905. I believe 

 it is 21 cows. Cow No. 1 she gave milk 9078 lbs. in one year, 

 tested 4.3 butterfat 3.90, butter 455 lbs. This cow grade Hol- 

 stein I bought her at auction for $32.00. When I got her home 

 I tried to sell her for $33.00, and today $150.00 wouldn't buy 

 her. If we hadn't started in testing our cows, we would have 

 known nothing about her. Under the conditions she has done 

 fairly well— no great records. This cow cleared us 200 lbs. of 

 butter for her keep, and of course at the price of butter last 

 year it would be about $58.00 she cleared. We had two heifer 

 calves from this cow^ One is coming two years old in the sprmg, 

 and the other a young calf. If she reproduces herself I see what 

 an investment that was for $32.00, and for $1.00 I would have 

 lost it. 



Cow No. 2. I will just read pounds of butter they made. 

 She made 360 odd pounds, almost 367 pounds. 



