The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-20
JERSEY CATTLE-BREEDERS,
The State Association Meets and Considers
the Good Points of It's Favorite Stock.

The annual meeting of the Indiana Jersey Cat
tle-breeders' Association was held yesterday
About thirty members were present The prin.
cipal feature of the meeting was the reading OF
paper at the afternoon session by j. Henry
Gest, of Cincinnati, on the question, How Shall
We Best Utilize the Products of the Jersey
Herdp There are practically four branches OF
dairying," Mr.. Gest said, 'in which the Jersey
cow can be made profitable. These four branches
are the production of cream, milk, butter and
cheese" It has been the habit Of Jerseymen to
claim but one Of these four fields as strong.
hold of the breed, but within the past year there
has spread a firm conviction that we
have been claiming too little, as
proof is very rapidly brought for
ward to show that the Jersey is not only the
leading butter maker. but that her cream prod
NC. is not merely rich in butter fat, but she
yields annually very large quantity Of it.
Recent trials in Canada, conducted by those
who who were either disinterested or disposed
against the Jersey. have shown her to be first
rate cheese cow; so that, taking her all round.
the Jersey is entitled to very high rank, if not
the first as general dairy COW, especially when
We consider the proportionally small amount of
feed she consumes in doing her work" Mr.
Gest said the highest record he
had succeeded in getting at his dairy was 1894
pounds. The herd. for its seventh month in this
season, showed an average annual rate Of 5, 248
pounds of milk. The actual average capacity of
the cows in the herd is 5000 pounds year each
This had been done on light feed, with no at
tempt to produce milk records, but merely to get
sufficient cream and butter return to pay
dairy profit.
Amos Garretson. Of Pendleton, presented an
estimate of what profit could be made from
Jersey herd. A good Jersey cow he said, would
yield $50 to 400 pounds of excellent butter
year, besides raising calf, which should be al
lowed ouly skim milk. after six weeks old. This
butter, at 264 cents per pound, gives over 500 a
year. Fifteen cows are enough to keep
one man busy Their yearly product would be
$1,000 1t costs about $50 to raise each calf, and
at the end of that time it is worth 5000, when
you will have herd of fifteen worth SO, 0O0
The annual yield of the butter is SO per cent of
the value of the cow. To this is to be added
the value of the calves. eight of which probably
will be heifers worth $3.50 each. The total
amount is So. ZOO The assistance required in
caring for the herd will cost $780, and feed will
cost $3.50 more The net profit on the herd is
So, $50 year, or $3.50 on each cow.
proposition to hold a national Jersey cattle
and dairy show was discussed briefly, and the
matter was referred to H. NJ Baum. Amos Gar
retson, E. j. Rowland, Sylvester johnson and
DR.. Levi Ritter for consideration.
The election of officers for the next year re-.
suited as follows:
President-Amos' Garretson, of Pendleton.
Vice president-E. j. Rowland, of Marion
county.
Board of Managers-Amos Garretson, of Pen
dleton; A E. Taylor, of Columbus and Sylves-
ter johnson. of 1rvington.
The secretary and treasurer will be elected by
the board of managers. The association adj
journed after the election of officers.