BookVU. management of dairy cows. 969 



which, a few weeks before the time of gestation is accomplished, assumes, in some degree, 

 the appearance of milk, and may be drawn from the teats. To spring at the bearing, is 

 when this part is more than ordmarily large and distended. Heifers are said to spring 

 soonest at bearing, and old cows at the udder. Some cows are peculiarly given to abor- 

 tions : and where this happens, they should never be continued long in the herd, as being 

 unlikely to yield any considerable degree of profit to the owners of them. 



6196". Cows which are shortly expected to calve, ought to be lodged at night in a large 

 convenient out-house, or some other place, for a week or two previous to calving, as it 

 may be the means of saving the life of the calf, and perhaps of its dam likewise : for, when 

 a calf drops in the yard or field under such circumstances, the hazard of its perishing 

 through the inclemency of the weather is very great, and it may considerably endanger 

 the life of the cow. But if from inattention, or other causes, the creature should catch 

 cold by calving abroad in sharp winter nights (which may be perceived by a refusal of 

 her food, and by her trembling joints), slie ought immediately to be driven into a wann 

 shed, together with her calf, and fed with sugar-sops and ale, and with the best and 

 sweetest hay, and should not be suffered to drink any cold water. By this treatment she 

 will mostly recover in a few days ; but should the disorder hang about her, balls com- 

 posed of aromatic cordial substances may be given. 



6 1 97. A milch cow is in her prime at five years old, and will generally continue in a good 

 milking state till ten years or upwards; but this depends greatly on the constitution of the 

 animal, some cows, like other animals, exhibiting marks of old age much earlier than 

 others. 



6198. Cows of large size yield great store of milk, when turned on pastures where the 

 grass is in suflRcient abundance, or fed with a constant supply of such food as from its 

 succulency conduces much towards the nutriment of the creature, and enables her to give 

 large quantities of milk, such as turnips, grains, garden -vegetables, &c. But as these 

 large cows require a more ample provision than would fall to their share on the generality 

 of farms, it would seem that they should not be had by those farmers whose land is not of 

 the most fertile kind ; for, on ordinary keep, a small cow will yield a fairer profit than 

 one of the Yorkshire or Staffordshire breed, which having been bred on the best kind of 

 land, would be starved where a Scotch or a Welsh cow would find an ample supply of 

 food. 



6199. Those who would make ike utmost advantage from cows, either as calf-sucklers, dairy-men, or milk, 

 sellers, should always provide a bull to run in the herd, to obviate the perpetual trouble of driving them 

 perhaps a mile or more to the bull, and in order to prevent the loss and inconvenience of their becoming 

 frequently barren. One bull will generally be sufficient for twenty cows. These animals are in their prime 

 at two years old, and should never be suffered to continue longer in a state of virility than to the fifth 

 year ; as, after that time, bulls which before were gentle and lay quiet in the cow-pastures are mostly apt 

 to contract vicious dispositions, and become very unmanageable. Whenever this happens, they should be 

 immediately castrated. 



6200. For feeding of stalled cows, the following directions are given to the covr 

 feeder in an improved dairy establishment near Farnham, in Surrey. ** Go to the cow 

 stall at 6 o'clock in the morning, winter and summer ; give each cow half a bushel of the 

 field beet, carrots, turnips, or potatoes cut ; at 7 o'clock, the hour the dairy maid 

 comes to milk them, give each some hay, and let them feed till they are all milked. If 

 any cow refuses hay, give her something she will eat, such as grains, carrots, &c., during 

 the time she is milking, as it is absolutely necessary the cow should feed whilst milking. 

 As soon as the woman has finished milking in the morning, turn the cows into the air- 

 ing ground, and let there be plenty of fresh water in the troughs ; at 9 o'clock give each 

 cow three gallons of a mixture composed of eight gallons of grains and four gallons 

 of bran or pollard ; when they have eaten that, put some hay into the cribs ; at 1 2 

 o'clock giveach three gallons of the mixture as before ; if any cow looks for more, give 

 her another gallon; on the contrary, if she will not eat what you give her, take it out of 

 the manger, never at one time letting a cow have more than she will eat up clean. Mind 

 and keep your mangers clean, that they do not get sour. At 2 o'clock give each cow half 

 a bushel of carrots, field beet, or turnips; look the turnips, &c., over well before you 

 give them to the cows, as one rotten turnip, &c. will give a bad taste to the milk,and most 

 likely spoil a whole dairy of butter. At 4 o'clock put the cows into the stall to be 

 milked ; feed them on hay as you did at milking time in the morning, ever keeping in 

 mind that the cow whilst milking must feed on something. At 6 o'clock give each cow 

 three gallons of the mixture as before. Rack them up at eight o'clock. Twice in a week 

 put into each cow's feed at noon, a quart of malt dust. " 



6201. Directions to the dairy maid. " Go to the cow stall at 7 o'clock ; take with you 

 cold water and a sponge, and wash each cow's udder clean before milking ; dowse the 

 udder well with cold water, winter and summer, as it braces, and repels heats. Keep your 

 hands and arms clean. Milk each cow as dry as you can, morning and evening, and 

 when you have milked each cow, as you suppose, 'Iry, begin again with the cow you first 

 milked, and drip them each; for the principal reason of cows failing in their milk is from 

 negligence in not milking each cow dry, particularly at the time the calf is taken from the 



