West Lafayette Indiana Purdue Dairy Department Real Photo Postcard

This parade float commemorates Segis Colanthia Bakker, a distinguished Holstein cow from Purdue University, celebrated for her remarkable annual production of 22,431 pounds of milk and 900 pounds of butter. The elaborate display, featuring live cattle, a colossal milk bottle, and an accompanying butter quantity, served to highlight advancements in dairy breeding and farming efficiency achieved during the early 20th century.

Purdue University's prominent College of Agriculture and its Experiment Station were pivotal in developing and promoting cutting-edge agricultural practices. Such parades, popular in the 1910s-1930s, were crucial public venues for showcasing scientific progress in agriculture, demonstrating the economic value of improved livestock, and educating communities about modern dairy production.