ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 2 / 



stock, of Clay importation, were poor milkers; they were a 

 beef family; the "mahogany red" are perhaps the best. 

 Dairymen should also have an eye to the beef qualities, oi 

 they would lose much; large c#ws do not consume any more 

 feed than small ones. Had no experience with Ayrshires; 

 Alderneys gave a small flow, but rich in cream and butter; 

 but as a class we look more to quantity than to quality* 

 would not recommend the same class of cattle to all farms. 



C. Gilbert, Union, thought this question had been fully 

 discussed in the Northwestern Association. He cared not 

 for breed; it was a mere matter of selection; all breeds pro- 

 duce some good milkers. As to Durham s, calves three months 

 old sell for eighteen to twenty dollars; same with Holsteins* 

 can find just as good cows among native stock as amon^ 

 thorough breds. 



D. C. ScoEiELD thought the Bates blood of short-horns th:^ 

 best; should come in at two years old, and learned to b( 

 milkers young; should come in at flush of grass to make 

 large udders; of this family, nine out of ten come in at two 

 years old, in which case one is worth as much as two to come 

 in older; would select calves from best bulls as well as best 

 cows; had bred one half blood Durhams; were one-third 

 larger and worth more money; calves should be well fed from 

 beginning to maturity; full as much depends upon the male 

 as the female. 



Prof. Hall. The cow machine requires a certain amount 

 of feed to keep it in operation, even though it accomplish no 

 work in the production of milk or meat. Any portion of 

 food that may be consumed and digested beyond this amount- ' 

 is what gives to the farmer his profit. But the cow that con- 

 verts a large portion of this surplus food into fat, will not 

 have so much left to put into the milk pail. This is jus: 

 what the short-horn cow does; consequently this cow can 

 never excel as a daiiy cow. If she should excel in this direc- 

 tion she would not be a first-class short-horn. Those wiili 

 whom this valuable breed is a favorite, laugh at the Jerseys, 

 They can see no beauty in a cow unless she be loaded wit ■ 



