GUIDE TO DAIRYING IN SOUTH AFRICA 



women hoe ; while in Europe the women see to 

 the milking while the men do spade work. It 

 seems impossible to change this method in South 

 Africa because of conditions of labour, but where 

 machines cannot be used we must make the best 

 use of our native "boys." 



The objection to the native milker is that he 

 is not clean, but by careful supervision and training 

 he may be made useful in handling high-class dairy 

 animals and getting the milk in a clean condition. 

 As we have mentioned in another chapter of this 

 work, the keeping qualities of milk, cream, butter, 

 or cheese depends on cleanliness and freedom from 

 bacteria. We must therefore take every precaution 

 in milking operations to be as clean as possible. 



Where the cows are milked under dirty con- 

 ditions, i.e. in a muddy kraal or dung-soaked kraal, 

 it is as well to have one boy go round to each cow 

 a few moments before the milker comes along and 

 let this boy brush the udders and flanks of the 

 cows ; following this up with washing the udders 

 and drying them afterwards with a clean cloth. 

 More especially is this necessary in the morning 

 when the animals have been resting in their own 

 excreta, often owing to the owner's neglect. This 

 is necessary, because, although it is very seldom 

 carried out, a better class of milk is produced which 

 benefits every one. The excuse about time wasted 

 does not hold good, because this method has been 



