CARE OF THE COW 8 1 



way, so that the foul air will pass out. A pure at- 

 mosphere can be kept in the stable in this manner 

 without draft. Warmth can be obtained by lining the 

 building throughout with heavy building paper, again 

 lining that with old lumber from some torn down 

 building. Stables should be thoroughly whitewashed 

 at least once a year. 



CARDING AND BRUSHING 



Given a well-bred herd, a stable well lighted and 

 ventilated, swing stanchions or other comfortable 

 fastenings, a well-balanced ration, the intimate rela- 

 tion between the 'cow and her attendant begins. The 

 cow has no means of retaliation for neglect or ill- 

 treatment, except to kick and to stop her flow of 

 milk. These she is likely to use effectively. Kind 

 treatment is always in order; regular feeding and 

 milking times are among the first requirements. 

 After these the most profitable operations in the barn 

 and stable are carding and brushing. Repeated ex- 

 periments have demonstrated that these practices, 

 while the cows are in the stable, will increase the 

 flow of milk sufficiently to pay the wages of the 

 attendant. Three minutes to the cow will do the 

 work well. For a herd of twenty-five cows the 

 seventy-five minutes devoted to this work will result 

 in more profit than an equal amount of time ex- 

 pended in any other way. An average difference of 

 from two to four quarts per cow a day will result. 

 One who has not tried this should divide his herd in 

 halves, card and brush one-half daily, and let the other 

 half go without for one month and note the result. 



