192 VETERINARY HYGIENE 



and the mechanical removal of dung and litter as on tramways or 

 overhead lines is not provided for. For this reason the small 

 proprietor likes to have the pit as close to the byre or stable as he 

 can. This arrangement should be discouraged as much as possible, 

 and a site should be chosen that would not be objectionable. The 

 pit itself should be so constructed that there is not a continual leak- 

 age of urine across the yard. An effort should be made to conserve 

 the liquid manure. 



Grain Pit. On dairy farms in or near towns where brewing or 

 distilling is carried on the cows are usually fed on wet brewer's 

 grains, and a pit is constructed much after the style of a manure pit 

 on a small scale in which to hold two or three days' supply, or a 

 supply for one day if the brewery is not far distant. As a rule 

 this pit is placed quite close to the byre, and very often to the milk 

 store. There is no doubt that the micro-organisms arising from the 

 dried " draff " lying on the sides, edges and ground around the pit 

 materially contribute to the bacterial contamination of the milk. 

 While such organisms are not necessarily harmful in themselves, 

 it is certain that they hasten the souring of the milk. For this 

 reason the draff pit should be well constructed and placed away from 

 both the milk store and byre and not in the line of the prevailing 

 winds. Draff pits should be lined with good Portland cement 

 plaster, polished on the surfaces, and all corners and angles rounded 

 out. 



