260 ANNUAL. REPORT. OF THBi Off. Doc. 



bleak winds aud snows of winter, and lie in the hot sun and dust of 

 summer, the less time spent in the yard the better. In this climate 

 the weather does not get too cold to turn the cows out for exercise, 

 provided, they are protected from the winds and damp. The more 

 time spent by the cows in the open yard, the less labor will be re- 

 quired for keeping the stables clean, and the easier ventilation will 

 be accomplished. 



The exercise yard should be protected, both, from the heat of the 

 summer aud from the storms of winter. A yard sloping towards 

 the south with an open shed along the north side is very satisfactory. 

 This yard may be paved with cobble stones, it may be macadamized 

 or it may have a good coat of cinders. At any rate the cows should 

 not be permitted to trample it out or get it muddy. If the cows are 

 left outside for some hours they may be fed part of their roughage 

 in this yard. A manger may be placed along the back side of the 

 shed for stormy weather, and racks in the open barnyard for fair 

 weather. The cows may obtain their water either in the barn or 

 in this yard, preferably, in the yard as it will be found more difficult 

 to keep the stable clean when watering devices are placed in the 

 stall. They also increase the expense of the equipment. 



One advantage in having feed racks outside is, that whole fodder 

 may be fed more conveniently. If corn stover is fed in the barn it is 

 necessary to have it shredded, it may be fed outside, however, with- 

 out this expense. Before the advent of dehorning, the turning of 

 the cows together in the yard was sometimes more harmful than 

 beneficial. At present, however, that all cows are dehorned there 

 is practically no danger. 



Barn: In the production of sanitary milk a good barn is considered 

 an essential. It should be constructed so as to furnish thorough 

 ventilation, abundant light, and should have mangers and floors 

 that can be easily cleaned. Provision should be made for a living 

 room or stable, a milking room and a milk room. This should con- 

 tain the bottling, weighing and separating machine with a refrigera- 

 tor adjoining. 



Zivwg Boom: This should be the main room of the stable in which 

 the cows are fed and kept, except during the grazing and milking 

 periods of the day. In constructing this room, provision should be 

 made for proper lighting and ventilation. To secure the former, 

 windows may be placed along the sides of the barn. These win- 

 dows should fit tight to exclude the cold air during winter. They 

 should also be furnished with blinds to darken the stables during the 

 fly season. It should have no loft overhead, especially if the cows 

 are milked in this room. It should at least have a tight floor above. 

 Bank barns are more apt to be too warm than too cold. The micro- 



