ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 25 



the year previous; but the average yield of butter was 349.29 pounds, or 

 3.37 pounds less. The cost to produce a hundred pounds of milk ranged 

 from 23.08 cents to 52.15 cents, and averaged 29.64 cents. Arranging 

 the cows in the order of cost of milk production, v/e have the following: 



Cost of 100 Lbs. of 



Milk. Per Cent Fat. Breed. 



23.08 cents 4.64 Jersey. 



24.15 " 2.57 Holstein. 



24.30 " 5.00 Jersey-Guernsey. 



26.72 " 4.06 Grade Guernsey. 



27.90 " 3.81 Grade Holstein. 



28.07 " 4.70 Native. 



28.56 " 5.00 Jersey. 



28.73 " ...3.44 Swiss. 



32.48 " 3.60 Holstein. 



33.36 " 3.84 Grade Shorthorn. 



34.40 " 5.00 Guernsey. 



34.89 " 3.98 Grade Shorthorn. 



35.56 " 3.44 Grade Shorthorn. 



52.15 " 4.12 Grade Shorthorn. 



It appears from this and in fact all the accumulated data we have 

 that the grade shorthorn cow cannot lay any claims to being an econom- 

 ical milk producer. Generally the Holstein ranks first, when quantity 

 of milk only is considered; but with milk solids or butter fat as a basis, 

 she falls below the Channel Island breeds. Her disposition and ability 

 to hold her own among a lot of cows is a very strong point in her favor. 

 Her roomy udder, large teats, and free milk characteristics make her a 

 very satisfactory cow where largo herds are kept for milk production 

 only. 



During the year 1897, the prices of all kinds of food stuffs were ex- 

 ceedingly low; in many localities in the northwest bran could not be sold 

 at any price, and much was used for fuel to run the mills. On this account 

 the record for that year has little value. So I will simply state that the 

 herd yielded on, an average 6,962 pounds of milk and 351 pounds of but- 

 ter; that^the cost of feed to produce a hundred pounds of milk was 27.34 

 cents and of a pound of butter 5.4 cents. The average cost to maintain 

 the cows for the year was $19.03. 



