10 Sept., 1917. J Another Good Dairy Farm. 567 



The cows are all rugged during the cold weather, which, Mr. Warren 

 states, " meaiLS half the feed." In other words, without the rugging the 

 cows would not be able to give anything like the returns — possibly not 

 more than half that they yield now — in the cold weather, and much 

 more richer food would have to be given to obtain anything like the 

 same results from cowa not kept warm and comfortable by rugging. 



The dairy work is carried out solely by Mr. Warren and family, 

 there being no hired hands employed in the work, and the cows are 

 thus not subjected to any change in milkers. 



Great care is taken in keeping the eow.s' udd<'rs and teats sound and 

 free from sores. Each udder is washed with warm water before milking, 

 and the milkers use as a lubricant for their hands an ointment prepared 

 of mutton fat, boracic acid, and castor oil. During the last three years 

 I have carefully e.xamined the udders of all the cows in the herd, and 

 have not found even the slightest induration or blemish, which satis- 

 factory condition has been mainly brought about through dehorning 

 the cows, gentleness in handling them, and other careful management. 

 This farm has a first-class water supply in the Tarwin River, the water 

 from which is conveyed to the various paddocks by windmill and pipes. 

 Here, again, is another very important matter in the management of a 

 dairy herd. Not only do heavy milking cows require a regular supply 

 of clean water, but the more convenient it is for them the better for 

 the owner. The banks of many Victorian creeks and rivers are steep, 

 and if dairy cows have to scramble up and down a steep bank, and 

 possibly wade through mud up to the brisket, they will only go to drink 

 when absolutely forced by thirst. Further, in such places, the banks 

 usually cut up, and the cows, having to wade to the water, get their 

 udders and teats wet and dirty; and where such conditions exist chapped 

 and sore teats are sure to be found. Where water troughs are, there is 

 also less chance of young or quiet cows being injured by others. A 

 bullying cow will frequently rush another up or downi a steep river bank, 

 to the injury of the weaker one. Thus, everything the owner can do to 

 make the life of the dairy cow as quiet and reposeful as possible will 

 assist her in producing her maximum of milk and butter. To heavy 

 milking cows at any time, but particularly in hot weather, a handy 

 supply of clean drinking water is quite as important as a good food 

 supply. 



The milking shed at Mr. Warren's farm is fitted with twenty bails, 

 which are well bricked and drained, and the shed is also supplied with 

 water from the river, which allows of the milking shed and separator 

 room being flushed out daily. 



In order to supplement the grazing during the summer months, 

 about 10 acres each of maize and millet are grown. A similar area of 

 oats for hay is also groven each year for horse feed mainly, but any 

 surplus is fed to the dairy herd during the winter months. 



The land for the millet is ploughed in September, worked thoroughly 

 to a fine tilth, and sown in October at the rate of 6 lbs. of seed to the 

 acre. The seed is mixed with 50 lbs. of bonedust and super, per acre, 

 sown from the manure box, and cross-drilled ; and the crop is ready to 

 feed off when the grass commences to dry in January. The feeding oflF 

 is generally repeated three times during the season, and this keeps the 

 cows up to their regular milk yield until the maize crop is ready for 



