84 VETERINARY HYGIENE 



is much above that outside, then the vitiation must be correspond- 

 ingly great. 



A great many cowkeepers and stablemen believe that it is neces- 

 sary to maintain a high temperature in a byre or stable, and as, 

 under ordinary conditions, it is economically impossible to obtain 

 this heat-increase artificially they proceed to obtain it by restrict- 

 ing the ventilation to prevent the escape of waste body heat, 

 so that literally the animals are self -warmers. This pernicious 

 belief is most prevalent among city dairymen, and it is in city byres 

 that the attendant evils are most pronounced. In spite of scientific 

 proof to the contrary many dairymen persistently hold to their 

 opinion, and it is nothing more than an opinion, that warmth is 

 essential for milk production. The strongest argument that is 

 brought forward in support of this contention is that when a sudden 

 drop in the temperature occurs, as, for instance, may happen in 

 the night with a shift of wind, the yield of milk on the ensuing 

 morning is sometimes less than it would have been had the tempera- 

 ture remained at its higher level. It cannot be denied that such may 

 be the case, but the reason is not that the air is cold but that cows 

 kept too warm, and especially in an atmosphere holding too much 

 moisture, are especially susceptible to the chilling effect of fresh, 

 cold air. 



Douglas, in summarising the results of the experiments carried 

 out by the Highland and Agricultural Society (Transactions, 1911), 

 points out that the production of milk can be carried on at least 

 as profitably in byres ventilated so that the temperature is kept down 

 to 50 F. as in those where the temperature is kept ten degrees higher 

 at the expense of ventilation. A temperature of 50 F. should be 

 the maximum one allowed in cow byres in this country during the 

 winter, and there is no reason why it should not be permitted to fall 

 considerably lower. Care should be taken to see that byres are 

 kept cool in the autumn and early winter so that the animals retain 

 their winter coats and be in a condition to withstand colder air as 

 the cold season advances. 



When horses and cattle are housed in warm quarters, or, in the 

 case of the former, if heavily rugged, they do not carry a warm 

 winter coat since Nature finds that one is not required. Cows 

 bought in from farms and put into badly ventilated and warm 

 byres soon lose their long winter coats, a loss which they greatly 

 feel when turned out in the early spring. 



It is no more necessary to maintain a high temperature in stables 

 for horses than for cows or other domestic animals. When it 

 is advisable to clip or half -clip working horses one or two rugs 



