The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1924-12-26
Development of Momtana's
Dairy Industry linn The Past
Few Years is Phenomenal

products, an even more sign1f1can
change has been taking place in tn
direction of herd improvement In tn'
state. This is partly reflected in
comparison of the increase in mum
Der of COWS with the increase in pro
duction. During the four year perloc
1921, '22, '23 and "a, there was
25 per cent increase in number Of
COWS, while during the same time
there was an 81 per cent increase
in the production of creamery but
ter. This difference in percentage
increase is partly accounted for IN
the rapid extension of the creamery
butter business and the probable de-
| crease in the production of ranch
butter, but nevertheless 1T does re-
fleet the Improvement in cows and
the increase in number of cows on
the farm to the point where all OF
the dairy products are not consumed
by the farm family. In other words
| it means that the farmer with the
dairy COWS has had something to
sell to the creamery, and his yearly
income has been increased by just
that much.
An indication of what the increase
in creamery butter manufactured
means to Montana is had from a re-
port in the Commercial West" that
appeared last May. One creamery
in a Milk River town reported, 1.-TWO
thousand pounds of butter is being
made per day, and this amount will
be doubled during the flush season,
beginning June /, The capacity of
the creamery is such that five cars
per day can be turned out, or 1880
POUNDS" 1t was expected that the
creamery would turn out 100000
pounds during the year 1924"
The increase in butter production
and it's Importance was told IN an
other way recently when speaker
stated, During the winter of 1922
%, butter was shipped INTO Great
Falls and during the last summer
80 carloads were exported from the
city. In the summer of 1928, the
city's butter export totaled A cars.
The effort to improve the dairy
herds of the state is reflected in the
present movement toward the estab- |
lishment of cow testing associations. |
These organizations are supported
by the farmers and dairymen for
the sole purpose of eliminating poor
the sole purpose of eliminating poor
producers by keeping careful records
on the cows, and to increase produc-
ton through better methods of feed
ing and management. There are four
of such organizations in the state at
the present time with the fifth in
the course of organization. They are
located in Ravalli County, Lake
County, Yellowstone County and Cas-
cade County, with Lewis and Clark
County about ready to start its asso-
citation. In addition there are five
cowtesting clubs, which are organi- |
similar to the associations
except that they are operated with |
fewer members and the tests are
made less frequently. The clubs are
located at Chinook, Whitehall, Deer
Lodge, Bozeman and Big Timber
There are several organizations
the dairy industry in
Montana, the chief of which is the |
Montana State Dairymen's Associa-
ion, of which w. L. Stockton of
Charleston is president The annual
Meeting of the association will be
leld at Montana State College at the
ime of Farm and Home Week, Janu-
try SO. The Holstein breeders of
he state also have an organization
,nown as the Montana Holstein
Association, started last
ear