The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1913-02-27

outlook, however, for an increased in
terest in dairying throughout the state
was very favorable. 1t was becoming
recognized that grain farming alone
would never make for permanent agri-
cultural prosperity. Live stock must
be kept If the farms Of South Dakota
are to maintain their fertility, and the
proper maintenance of soil fertility
is a big factor in a permanent agricul-
ture. And of the live stock usually
found on the farm, the dairy COW
stands pre-eminent as a conserver OF
soil fertility.
With the fact in mind that the dairy
industry of South Dakota would grow
more and more in Importance, Presi-
dent Slagle, Director Wilson, the Board
of Regents, and Professor c. Larsen,
the head of the dairy department,
planned to build a dairy husbandry
department that would adequately and
c~reditably represent the dairy interests
Of the state, and that would compare
favorably with similar departments in
other agricultural colleges in the coun-
try.
Five years ago there was but one
student taking special work in the
dairy department. During the present
school year the department will, in
the various lines of the work offered,
give instruction to nearly $50 men. In
addition nearly 80 girls are given in
struction in dairy subjects.
The dairy husbandry department
might we'll say that it has the follow
;r- ,Atto sI1, -~I h4kt@, IotrNr
products" The problem is to en-
courage proper methods of breeding,
feeding, and selection of the dairy herd
to the end that the COW of tomorrow
will produce more milk and butterfat,
than does the COW of today. Along
with the idea of more milk, should be
the encouragement to produce cleaner
milk, and also to manufacture a higher
quality of the different dairy products
such as, butter, ice cream, cheese and
the like.
The department maintains a 60 acre
farm, equipped with a modern barn
and all the necessary implements and
machinery. On this farm are the rs
different breeds of cattle. In the
management of the farm rotation of
crops, selection and testing of cows,
and all methods that may make for
greater profit are in use. Four silos
give proof to the fact that the dairy
department practices what it breaches
regarding the value of silage for the
South Dakota farm. In short, the de-
partment so plans to manage the dairy
farm that it will afford a practical
object lesson in the best methods of
n ~ o. Wy, ~ N AC tl1nofrnt
ing the work that is being done in
breeding high producing cows, the case
of college Belle Wayne" a HcIstein
bred on the college dairy farm, will be
given. This COW in seven days gave
824.3 pounds of milk containing 2S.5
pounds of butterfat. Her best days
record was 1861 pounds of milk. In
80 days she gave 1881 pounds OF
milk containing 1865 pounds Of fat
This record, at the time it was made
gave college Belle Wayne" a place
next to the worlds champion COW in
the amount of butterfat produced in 9
month.
Experiments in the various phases
of dairying are constantly carried on
At the present time such questions as
the following are under investigation
Is the milking machine a success
Does strong alkali water injure a dairy
cow and her products? Can ice b<
stored on the dairy farm in an mex
pensive manner? Can the production
of a dairy herd be raised from Isl
pounds of butterfat to 400 pounds o.
butterfat per Gov per year, without
buying expensive cows? Can an acre
of South Dakota land be made to keeI
four times as many cows as it does
at the present time? How can South
Dakota butter and cream be improved
in quality? Can an acre of South Da
kota land be made to keep four times
as many cows as it does at the present
time? How can South Dakota butter
and cream be improved in quality?
In the class room the department
gives instruction along the most ap
proved lines Of modern dairy husban
dry practice. The boys from the South
Dakota farms learn of the merits of the
various dairy breeds, how best to man
age and care for and feed a dairy herd
how to Judge dairy cattle, and how a
dairy barn should be constructed. They
are also taught how milk and cream
are tested, how to produce clean milk
and cream, what clean dairy products
mean to those that consume them, and
how to run and care for the farm
separator.
The farm girls, too, are not neglect
ed. They are given instruction as tc
care of milk and cream, how to run
and care for the farm separator, how
best to make butter and ice cream and
the possibilities of different diseases
For those that desire a wider range
Of knowledge, the four year course in
dairy husbandry is offered. In this
course are taken up in detail the best
methods of manufacturing butter, ice
cream, and cheese, how to organize
and manage ~creameries, and how tC
detect adulterated dairy products. The
sanitary production of milk is con
sidered very thoroughly, and the diff
ferent uses to which milk or its pro
ducts may be put are carefully studied
Students in this course also receive {