312 



ILLINOIS DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



These results are very striking as they show conclusively that the 

 productive capacity of the dairy herds of the state, by conservative 

 estimate, may be increased $16,000,000 a year through the use 

 of pure-bred sires and selection by the Babcock test. The sires 

 are available; testing involves little trouble, so it remains with 

 the dairy farmers to bring about this change which may be ac- 

 complished in four years. The actual difference between the 

 "graded" and "ungraded" herds is greater than the difference be- 

 tween the poorest herd and the average of the herds tested, so 

 that no man can say that it is impossible to raise the production 

 to that extent. Improvement has come largely through better 

 blood and better care, and any thoughtful man can obtain the 

 same results. Do we need better proof of the value of testing and 

 the great improvement possible through the use of pure-bred, 

 sires ? The two are inseparable ; they go hand in hand, the test 

 pointing out the cows through which improvement should be 

 sought, the sires adding to and intensifying the dairy capacity 

 of the offspring. 



No Grading. 



Pounds of 



No. of butter. 

 Initials. herd. fat. 



F. E 7 170.49 



W. W 8 192.51 



J. H. P 12 175.41 



C. J. W 16 183.52 



J. C. C 15 206.78 



J. P 17 172.64 



H. A. P 23 142.05 



Average 177.02 



263.00—177.62=85.47 

 85.47 lb. @ 25c=$21.36 

 746.572 x $21.36=$15,946,777.92 



Grading. 







Pounds or' 





No. of 



butter. 



Initials. 



herd. 



fat. 



F. M. R 



2 



267.75 



L. P 



... 3 



275.78 



G. W 



6 



285.21 



F. G. A 



... 11 



205.02 



W. J. H 



... 19 



242.94 



J. H 



... 20 



235.04 



H. H 



... 21 



242.87 



C. V. S 



24 



350.17 



Average 



26,3.09 



Until dairymen come to recognize the importance of system- 

 atic business methods and apply them in the management of 

 their herds and farms, they need not hope to be successful. 



