ILLINOIS DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



JI5 



Our cows were tested each month the first year; composite 

 samples being taken from six consecutive milkings. Since last 

 March, '03, we have tested them every month, but the weighing 

 at each milking has been, and will be kept up. Thirty-four cows 

 completed the first year with an average of 5,755.8 pounds of milk 

 and 284 pounds of butter, average income was $77.84-, average 

 cost of keep $49, average net profit on butter basis $28.84. Five 

 heifers, with first calf, yielded 4,213 pounds of milk and 177 

 pounds of butter. 



The year of 1903 would have seen us still further ahead in 

 milk and butter production with larger net profits, if it had not 

 been for a very disastrous fire last August, which completely 

 destro;'^ed our barns. We have just finished building a fine, 

 modern barn, wdiich has stalls for 100 cows, besides box stalls, 

 engine room, silo, hospital, and feed rooms. We can drive into 

 the second story where are located our grain bins, cutters, grind- 

 ers, etc. Our hay mow will hold about three hundred tons of hay 

 and straw, besides farm implements. 



The hotel pays the farm 17^2 cents a gallon for four per 

 cent milk, 70 cents per gallon for 20 per cent cream, 5 cents per 

 gallon for skimmed milk, and Elgin prices for butter. 



We raise most of our own veal. Starting the calves on 

 whole milk and gradually getting them onto skimmed milk by 

 about the second week, a grain mixture of seventy-five per cent, 

 by weight, of corn meal, 10 per cent bran, 10 per cent oats, 5 

 per cent oil meal, is kept before them until they are ready to 

 butcher. I gave them the oats, bran, and oil meal to keep them 

 on feed. They are confined in box stalls with plenty of sun 

 light, have free access to fresh water and salt. They dress out a 

 first-rate quality and 55 to 65 per cent at the age of eight to nine 

 weeks. Our heifer calves which we wish to keep are allowed to 

 run out ; and are given a growing grain ration and second crop 

 clover when not on grass. They have skimmed milk for six to 

 eight months. 



We keep twenty brood sows, Berkshire and Poland cross, 

 use pure bred Berkshire boars. The sows, with pigs, are started 



