172 THE STOCKFEEDER'S COMPANION 



Feeding the In-Calf Cow. It is usual for cows to 

 have their first calf when they are from two to three 

 years of age. During the pregnant period they should 

 get plenty of fresh air and exercise in addition to a 

 fairly liberal supply of nourishing food, which will enable 

 the development of the foetus. 



Generally speaking, cotton cakes, brewers' grains, 

 frozen turnips, and potatoes should be avoided. Heavy 

 feeding of concentrated foods, and especially cotton 

 cakes, appear to make the cow subject to milk fever. 

 As the time of calving approaches, the ration should 

 be of a more laxative nature. Bran mashes are 

 especially useful, and if these are not sufficient, the 

 cow may be given a dose (J to I Ib.) of Epsom-salts. 



XXIV. MILK SECRETION. 



Milk, like other secretions in the body, is produced 

 from the blood, the nutrients in which have been 

 supplied by the consumption of food (see pp. 24 to 

 31). The particular organ concerned in giving milk 

 its characteristic properties is called the udder 

 (mammary gland). 



The udder consists of two halves, right and left. 

 Each half is again divided into two more or less 

 independent "quarters," with separate outlets called 

 " teats." 



The interior of each quarter is made up of yellow 

 glandular tissue, which is very diagrammatically repre- 

 sented in the figure on p. 173. 



The udder is well supplied with blood, which is 

 forced round the circulatory or vascular system by the 

 heart, and it is reasonable to assume that the quantity 

 and quality of milk yielded should bear some relation 



