The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1918-03-29
investigator Finds Reports Of Ex-
tensive Strengthening Are
OverdraWn.
MANY CENTERS BUY cows
Huron and OsceoIa Counties Among
Those in Market-U. S. Must
Supply After-War De-
mand.
BY J. A. WAlDRON.
Field Agent in Dairyins, Michigan Az
ricuIturaI COLLEGE.

ricuIturaI College.
East Lansing, Mich.-What Is the
situation in the dairy industry in
Michigan? In these days of kaleido-
SCOPE changes it is ticklish to at
tempt predictions of the future. A
calm review of conditions as they
seem to be. however, furnishes US
with food for thought.
An opportunity has been afforded
the writer during the past winter to
become familiar with conditions in
several parts of the state, and while
much has been said and written about
the great numbers of dairy cows be-
ing slaughtered, feel that these re-
ports are not universally true and
that accounts of this killing have been
very much overdrawn. In the south
western part of the state, especially
In parts of Berrien county, where the
milk produced is marketed largely In
Chicago, and in the districts close by
Detroit, dairy cows have been killed
off. These, however, have for the
greater part been cows that under
test failed to show profit. have in
mind, as an illustration, certain
cOw-testing association of about 800
cows, Of which 36 were sold in the
month of December. This was a move
in the direction of efficiency, for 30 of
these animals showed by their records
that 1t was costing more to feed them
than they were producing. This has
undoubtedly been the case in many
other instances where cows have been
disposed Of.
The marked increase In feed prices,
as much as $50 to 200 per cent on some
things, and the tardy increase in the
price of dairy products has, however,
caused the standard up to which
dairy cow must measure to return a
profit to be raised. Since maximum
prices on bran and middlings have
been established there has been a ten
dency toward a lowering in the prices
of these products and the stabilizing of
prices of other feeds. The prices Of
dairy products have increased since
early fall and good cows are as rule
giving fair returns. These profits in
many cases are as good as usual-that
Is, where the cows are good cows, fed
rations balanced to meet their needs
and are given good care.
There are communities in Michigan.
In fact, where there Is and has been
all the past winter demand for dairy
cows. These localities, included in
which are Huron, OsceOla and a num-
Der of other Michigan counties, are in
general farther from the large cities
where land Is just trifle cheaper
than the communities mentioned
above. In one or two instances con-
denseries have been established in
these communities, offering thus
better market for dairy products than
existed in these centers before.
These facts, and the world shortage
Of dairy cows, the increasing demand
for dairy products for export pur-
poses and the Importance Of milk and
butter In the feeding Of young children
should encourage the dairyman to be
hopeful for the future and should
make him feel the value of the SER
vice he Is rendering in the present
emergency. The situation Is such as
should cause men who are in the
dairy business to hesitate before send
ing any of their good cows to the
block.
More so than ever before, the keen
dairyman will also realize that, there
is a great difference between dairy
cows, and that this difference can be
capitalized. OF the 22OO0,OO0 cows in
the United States, probably 100000
have not been producing profit over
the cost Of their feed. A great waste
of feed Is one of the results Of this
These slackers should be eliminated
so that the feed consumed by them
may be fed to cows that will give good
returns for it. Consequently the milk
scales and the Babcock test have
never had q more important or useful
part to play in the dairy herd than at
the present time. We would not at
tempt to place value on fast horse
without first trying him out while
holding stop-watch on him. No
more should we milk and give good
feed to cows without determining
whether or not they are producing a
profit. The milk scales and tester are
the dairyman's stop-watch.
Purebred sires also should hold an
increasingly important place in the
herds of today. The sire is half the
herd and should always be considered
as such.
The care given dairy COW may also
determine whether she Is to be a prof
II or loss. She should be looked upon
and treated as a highly efficient SER
want and should be given good condi-
tons under which to work. This does
not mean expensive equipment--it
means comfortable, dry and clean
quarters during the winter, kind treat
ment mt all times and dark retreat
from the heat and flies during the
summer.
A liberal supply of a properly pro-