MILK PRODUCTION 439 



cattle beast that is being fattened usually soon lays on a 

 covering of external fat, which goes far to protect the 

 system from the penetrating influences of cold. Expose 

 a milch cow in moderate or lean flesh to cold beyond a 

 certain degree, and soon she stands with the back drawn 

 up as an evidence of her discomfort. The fat steer 

 similarly exposed will show no signs of discomfort. 



The susceptibility of the function of milk secretion to 

 the influence of low temperatures is shown by the quick- 

 ness of the reduction which takes place in the milk yields 

 consequent upon such exposure, and by the constancy of 

 the same. The effect of such exposure will be manifest in 

 the shrinkage in yield in the first milking following, and 

 in every succeeding milking during the continuance of the 

 exposure. If continued for a period of considerable length, 

 the result will be that the yields will not become normal 

 again, though the cause of the reduction should be removed. 

 It is probably caused to some extent by the relaxed and 

 somewhat reduced condition of the system consequent up- 

 on maternity, and in part by the diversion of a portion of 

 the nutrients that would otherwise be concerned in making 

 milk to the defense of the system against the cold. 



In an experiment conducted at the Indiana experiment 

 station, it was found that the cows that were housed during 

 the 48 days of the experiment, gained in flesh considerably, 

 while the latter lost flesh. The former also gave consid- 

 erably more milk on less feed. Professor Plumb, who 

 conducted the experiment, concludes that a saving of $4.26 

 per cow was effected by the shelter furnished, not- 

 withstanding that the cows exposed were given the pro- 

 tection of an open shed in a sheltered place, and that they 

 were not confined to it daily for a longer period than eight 

 hours in the warmer portion of the day. 



In view of the above, the following practices are to be 

 deprecated: (i) Allowing cows in milk to roam through 

 corn stalk fields in winter in search of what is at best in- 

 ferior milk producing food; (2) allowing such cows to 



