BSCBA - USA 1910-1919

"Swiss Migrate Throughout the US"

Roger's Note: The teen years (1910-1919) saw many changes as new programs were developed and Brown Swiss cattle continued to migrate west throughout the US. On a national level, the US was coping with World War I, which no doubt affected every US citizen and Brown Swiss breeder in some way.

During these years, Brown Swiss made their way into many states. There were 4 years during this period, 1914, 1919, 1920, & 1926, where there were more transfers recorded than registrations. Registrations climbed steadily with 1,820 animals registered in 1919, including 1055 females (1st year over 1,000) and 765 bulls. There were 1854 transfers that year.

The Beginning of a New Era The year 1911 marked the beginning of a new era in the Association which had long-ranging effects. Three Association meetings were held that year. The first was January 15, 1911, in Chicago. At this meeting, officers were elected with the most significant being the election of Ira Inman of Beloit, Wisconsin, as Secretary-Treasurer. Ira held this position for the next 31 years. A significant result of that election was the later acquisition of a building which became the national Brown Swiss office in Beloit, Wisconsin.

The second meeting was held at the Hotel Astor in New York City on May 10, 1911. Action at this meeting also provided the basis for one of the most important programs of the Association. The Registry of Production was initiated with Frank Freemeyer of Walhalla Farms being elected secretary of this program.

Finally, on November 1, 1911, the Association regular annual meeting was held during the National Dairy Show in Chicago. There it was decided to advertise in several national magazines, to provide production and show awards, and set up a scale of points for the Swiss cow (a precursor to the classification program).

The 1912 minutes include a paragraph worth repeating. It followed the report on the progress of the Registry of Production. “The Registry of Production will prove to the dairy world and public in general what the breeders of Brown Swiss cattle have known for a long time: That we have the dairy cow par excellence. Now they are destined to occupy a place in the very front rank for profitable dairy production.”

Challenges As indicated earlier, record of the first national shows occurred in 1907. In 1914 at the National Dairy Show in Chicago, all animals were quarantined due to the Foot & Mouth epidemic. A few animals had to be destroyed while others remained quarantined for several months. Then in 1915, due to World War I, no show was held.

One of the premier herds of that time was E. M. Barton’s Sedgeley Farm of Hillsdale, Illinois. This herd was severely affected by the Foot & Mouth outbreak. A total of 30 head were in quarantine at the National Dairy Show in Chicago in early November. On December 8, 1914, tragedy struck as 35 head came down with Foot & Mouth in 2 to 3 hours. By December 10, all 233 animals had the disease. On December 14, 1914, they were buried in a pit 100 X 18 X 8 feet. For more details, see the Bjork Family ad in the 1980 Centennial Edition of the Brown Swiss Bulletin on Page 325.