268 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION 



bred sire on a grade herd. It should be considered little less 

 than a crime to use a scrub bull, or one whose dam has not pro- 

 duced 300 pounds of butter fat in 365 days. 



Had careful selection and breeding been practiced for the 

 past sixty years by the dairymen of northern Illinois, that part 

 of the state would have been known the world over on account 

 of the excellence of its dairy cattle. During that time fifteen 

 generations could have been produced, and fifteen generations 

 under careful selection would have worked wonders. Very little 

 concerted action has been taken by even the breeders of pure- 

 bred cattle to advance the interests of their respective breeds. In 

 some states there are associations for the differnt breeds, and 

 numerous county or local associations. Wisconsin has about 

 twenty-nine such associations which are doing a great work. 

 Similar organizations should occupy a more prominent place in 

 Illinois dairying. The herd books show that only a small part 

 of the men owning pure-bred cattle in the state are members of 

 even their national breed associations. The Dairy Cattle Im- 

 provement Association of Illinois was organized in 1908, and 

 consisted of men representing" the different dairy breeds. The 

 object was to promote the spread of pure-bred cattle in the 

 state and especially the use of pure-bred bulls on grade herds. 

 Little has been heard from this association. At the state fair in 

 1909 a state Holstein-Friesian association was organized, which 

 is doing a little active work. Since that time associations have 

 been organized in McHenry and Effingham counties and are do- 

 ing some earnest work. A few men in any county organized for 

 the purpose of promoting any breed can do much toward the 

 general improvement of the cattle of that district by simply talk- 

 ing of the merits of their cattle and by showing good records 

 of production. In this manner they will bring forcibly before 

 their neighbors the contrast between good and poor producing 

 cows, and thus stimulate them to better breeding. 



A part of the income from a well-regulated dairy farm 

 comes from the sale of surplus stock. The better the reputation 

 of a community for good cattle, the more buyers it will attract 

 3nd the better the prices that can be obtained. Co-operative 



