MILKING 85 



and buckwheat straw, should be kept under her. 

 Oat straw is good, but does not keep its place as well 

 as the articles mentioned. There is no economy in 

 stinting the cow in the matter of bedding, as no more 

 is wasted when liberal bedding is used than when it 

 is stinted. No dog should be allowed in the barn 

 or about the cows, and the animals should never be 

 chased or hurried. Ill treatment of this kind will be 

 evident in the production. In winter turn the cattle 

 out not more than an hour a day in mild weather; 

 less time when colder, and in stormy weather not at 

 all. 



BAD HABITS TO AVOID 



Jerking downward with the hand when milking is 

 a bad practice. It is not uncommon to see a milker 

 jerk a teat as if he were trying to separate it from 

 the udder. Many a fine cow has been ruined in this 

 way. After the attendant has carefully wiped off 

 the udder with a piece of dry burlap or other suit- 

 able material, he should grasp the teat, milk slowly 

 for the first few moments, then with a slight down- 

 ward pressure force the milk from th^ teat. He will 

 find that it requires less exertion to milk in the proper 

 manner than in the old way. An attendant who will 

 not reform should be promptly discharged or dis- 

 missed from the barn. Garget, injured quarters, 

 lumps in teats and udder, deformed udders are com- 

 mon results of this violent jerking down when milk- 

 ing. Wetting the hand or teat is another bad practice. 

 It is filthy as well as injurious. If the teat be fever- 

 ish, sore, or cracked, a little vaseline will soften it. 



