ILLINOIS DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



39 



worth if it was not for the Hve stock kept upon the farms ? An- 

 other thing to be considered is : the farmer in selhng butter fat 

 from his farm, sells but little fertility.. The fertility in 500 

 pounds of butter fat amounts to 15 cents_ if it were to be pur- 

 chased upon the market. 



The average prices of butter fat when sold to the creameries 

 for the different months were as follows : 



February, 1902 28c October, 1902 23c 



March, 1902 28c November, 1902 26c 



April, 1902 26c December, 1902 30c 



May, 1902 22c January, 1903 26.5c 



June, 1902 21c February, 1903 25.5c 



July, 1902 20.5c March, 1903 28c 



August, 1902 19c April, 1903 24c 



September, 1902 20.5c May, 1903 20c 



June, 1903 20c 



REPORT OF HERD '' I." 



Herd " I " was composed of natives, grade Shorthorn and 

 one Holstein. The average weight of each cow was 1100 

 pounds. While this herd produced a little more milk and butter- 

 fat than the average herd yet they could not be classed as special 

 dairy cows. They would be called by most stockmen, dual pur- 

 pose cattle. The health of the herd on the whole was good, only 

 one cow showing any signs of disorder. Cow No. 1, which 

 promised to be one of the best cows, was taken sick in July and 

 nearly went dry before she was well again. Her record for the 

 year on account of this does not indicate what she is capable of 

 doing under normal conditions. Most of the cows calved in 

 March and went dry in the early part of the winter. During the 

 winter months the fresh cow^s received a ration of about 4 pounds 

 of ground oats, 4 pounds of ground barley, and all the shredded 

 cc-rn stover, timothy and clover hay they would eat. The owner 

 did not try to make much milk in the winter. The care and the 

 feeding of this herd was much the same as in practiced by most 

 farmers who have not yet learned that care is a most important 

 factor in profitable milk production. The herd was exposed to 



