162 DOMESTIC ANIMALS, DAIRYING, ETC. 



out rest before calving usually results in a serious lowering of the 

 yield for the entire year following calving, and also frequently in 

 a weak, puny calf. From these cows the most milk and butter fat 

 can be obtained in a series of years by milking ten months in the 

 year only. It is frequently the case with this class of cows that if 

 milking is continued to the time of calving the milk of the last eight 

 or ten weeks has a bad flavor and odor, is hard to churn and will in- 

 jure the butter made from any milk with which it is mixed and it 

 is profitable to dry up the cow on this account as well as for the effect 

 of the rest. Rest does not seem so essential for cows giving milk low 

 in butter fat, and it is impossible to dry up many heavy yielders of 

 thin milk without injury to the udder. In such cases the only rea- 

 sonable plan is continuous milking ; but if too much difficulty is not 

 experienced in drying up this class of cows, it should be done, as bet- 

 ter results will be secured by the rest. Dairymen handling cows of 

 the beef type have hard work to keep their cows in fair flow for the 

 ten months, but with dairy cows, the rest before calving should be 

 provided for, and the general rule to follow is that the average dairy 

 cow and the cow giving milk with a high per cent of butter fat 

 should go dry six to eight weeks before calving ; and heavy yielders 

 of milk low in butter fat may be milked continuously if there is 

 much difficulty in drying them up. 



To dry up a cow, reduce the feed, take away the grain, and 

 when the milk yield drops, milk first once a day, then once in two 

 days, and in one to two weeks the average cow will be dry and her 

 udder in good condition. With persistent milkers there is seldom 

 difficulty if hay only is fed for a time. If a cow continues to give 

 milk under this treatment or if the udder is hard and feverish, thei 

 work of drying up must stop, and the ration be changed to a light 

 milk ration, with loosening feeds, and the cow milked regularly. 

 Forced drying up under these conditions injures the cow. If by 

 oversight the drying-up process has been neglected until within three 

 or four weeks of calving, do not attempt it, as there is risk of injury 

 to the health of the cow and her udder. 



After becoming dry, the cow will need little attention before 

 calving if she is on good pasture, except to see that she has plenty 

 of good water and shade, is comfortable and not annoyed or injured 

 by other cattle, particularly steers. If the cow is on dry feed, more 

 attention is necessary. She must be in fair condition but not fat, 

 and should have bulky feeds both roughness and grain and suc- 

 culent feed is exceedingly desirable, either ensilage or roots. One of 

 the best grain mixtures for cows before calving is, by weight, two- 

 thirds bran and one-third linseed meal. This grain mixture is a 

 good one for the first two weeks after calving. Alfalfa hay is excel- 

 lent for roughness. The bowels should be kept loose. This is es- 

 sential and needs more attention than any other condition, and for 

 this purpose roots and silage are very helpful. Corn and corn meal 

 should not be fed. 



Treatment at Calving. In winter iTie calving cow will do best 

 in warm, comfortable quarters, free from draft. It is well to blanket 



