Imperial Valley press., 1916-12-16

The best jersey in the State Of Cali
lolnia, and the cow which has done
more than any other individual ami
raj to boost the Valley. and which
Las deary record, will be one of the
stellar attractions at the Imperial Val
Icy Livestock Fair to be held in FL
Centre. December 27. 2S. % and 80.
She is Ferns Silver Ray, 3050S1, and
is owned by Frank Van Derpoel, a
member of the Farm Bureau Cow
Testing Committee.
Ferns Silver Ray has recently COM
p.eted the first official test conducted
in Imperial Valley. and her owner
has just received a certificate admit
ting the COW to the Register Of Merit.
tie Association. The test began Sep
tember 20. 1915, when the COW was
aged years and s months, and du,
ring the year she produced 700.72
pounds of butterfat. II she drops q
i've calf. as she is expected to do,
which has been carried 100 days du-
r1rg the past. she will be eligible to
C.ass AA. and will have the distinc-
ton Of being the only Jersey of that
classification in the state.
\ big feature of Fern Silver Ray
record is that it was produced under
culinary ranch conditions. That the
record has spread the fame Of lmper-
iul Valley as dairy section is at
tested by the following article in
Eoard's Dairyman. the leading dairy
publication Of the world
Way to the southwest there is an
inland empire surrounded and isolated
ny miles upon miles of desert and
mountains. lying many feet below the
level of the sea and comprising the
largest tract of irrigated land under
one system in America. \ little longer
than fifteen years ago this great tract
vas considered worthless-a barren
waste inhabited by lizards, coyotes and
owls, sun-scorched and parched-an ut
jerly impossible home for human be-
irgs.
To-day 10000 cows Craze the lus-
oious alfalfa ana furnish the cream
FOR an annua! output OF 100000
pounds of butter Only yesterday
tern's Silver Ray No. 305,0Sl complet-
d years record with 12,G37.9 pounds
Of milk. containing 7o2.22 pounds Of
butterfat. This little Jersey lady
was born in the aVIIey, January Il,
1909, and has never known anything
but Valley conditions. Her owner,
frank Van DerDoel is 4 pioneer dairy
man and breeder in this far-4Way part
Of the world He believes in the dairy
possibilities of the Valley, for this spot
cf wonderland is none other than the
famous Imperial Valley OF Southern
California. He believes in pure bred
cattle and in the jersey breed, His
COW, Ferns Silver Ray, came within
A few ounces-not pounds-of winning
the state record for Jerseys, and. says
,lr. Van Derpoe', if the Jersey asso-
cation officials are better figurers
than !, maybe sEe has won the rec
ord
However, this is not the point. Nj.
Van Derpoel has demonstrated thai
l'g records can be made in the In
rerial VALLEY. This is my first e%-
rarience,' he says, and with what |
now know l could easily have made
over 800 pounds with this cow. She
was given just ordinary treatment,
nilked twice a day, and given no
shelter, except ,he trees in her yard.
She was not pastured, but was fed
alfalfa hay. a little silage, and beet
pulp when l could get the latter
"The performance Of this COW has
been an cye-opened to many in the
Imperial Valley, who thought that
dairy production was only an expert
ment, and she wiz lie an inspiration
10 many young men who are engaged
j. dairying to secure better stock. The