Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1911-02-17


dairy and stock-raisng industry i'll tn
state OF North Dakota, the following
article from the Breeders Gazette i
interesting:
The North Dakota Holstein Breed
ers' Circuit association is composed o
fifteen farmers in Morton county, who
are raising Hols1ein cattle in co-opera
ton with the North Dakota experiment
station and the United States depart
mem of agriculture The department
of agriculture is interested III this line
of work because when breeding larg.
numbers there is a chance of develop
ing some new type that may be better
adapted to conditions III this country
than those already existing. The plan
was developed by w. NJ. Hays, assis-
tant secretary of agriculture. The
North Dakota experiment station is in
terested from the standpoint of improv-
ing the dairy conditions i'll the state.
This gives a chance for demonstrating
what can be done. The farmers are
interested from the fact that it gives
them all opportunity for improving
their dairying industry by having the
service of an expert in their commun-
ity
The members of the circuit have al,
organization with president and full
set of officers. The president. with a
representative of the experiment station
and one of the department of agricul-
ture form the council who have general
charge of the work Of the circuit, buy
ing and selling cattle and outlining the
policy to be followed
The experiment, station and the de-
partment OF agriculture cooperate in
maintaining a field superintendent. Hol-
stems were selected as the breed best
suited to this section \ few of the
farmers were already breeding them
and others were shipped in. There are
now S5 purc-bred cattle in the circuit.
They have also crossed them on the
native cattle. until they have been bred
up SO that many OF them cannot be dis
tinguishcd from the purc-bredS.
The circuit has been fortunate in the
selection of |. L. Downey as field sup
erintendCnt. lie is an agricultural COL
lege graduate and has been exception
ally successful in applying his scientific
knowledge to the conditions existing
on the various farms. so that he has
the complete confidence OF the members
OF the circuit, lis visits are looked
forward to with pleasure Mr.. Downey
visits each farm at least cnce a month,
spending whole day at the farm lie
weighs the feed and checks up on the
feeding and care for the month He
weighs the milk and tests it. as we'll
as the composite sample that has been
taken during the month. He transfers
the records OF the COWS from the farm
ers daily record to his monthly record
and makes any suggestions that may
occur to him. This is a fine school for
the farmer. Here he can ask questions
and get lessons in the midst of his
work.
AS a result OF the WORK. much more
interest is being taken in reading.
Nearly every family is now taking
daily papers. and all are taking one or
more agricultural papers. They are
much interested in Silos and several
will be built next summer. \ fine quail
ity of milk and cream is being pro-
duced. so that in the butter scoring
circuit cream has taken the highest
prizes. Monthly prizes are offered by
the merchants. S. for the COW produc-
ing the largest amount OF butter fat.
and 81 for the hciier that has the high |
est production. This has developed a :
"lloleSoillS iNdIIl diIt pi lut
The barns are whitewashed at least
twice year. Mr. Dowrey suggested
getting a machine for doing the work
some at first objected. but when they
saw how nicely it worked they all want
ed to have it. The records kept are
quite complete, taking into account the |
food consumed ard cost, so the cost
Of production can be figured out. The
record for Sally DeKol Ormsby, for
instance, for August. 1910. was as fol-