FEEDING AND CARE OF DAIRY COWS 257 



milk. In some trials grooming increased the flow of milk 4 to 8 per 

 ct. while in others where the ungroomed cows were not allowed to 

 become filthy, it brought no increase. Tho grooming may not in- 

 crease the yield of milk, it does improve its quality by lessening the 

 number of bacteria contained and may improve the health of the 

 animals. 



Milking machines. — Because of the difficulty of securing efficient 

 hand milkers, the use of milking machines is certain to increase. 

 Several types of machines have now been greatly improved and long- 

 continued trials at various stations show that when cows are milked 

 with the best machines by careful operators and with well-adjusted 

 teat cups there is no injurious effect on the yield or quality of the 

 milk, or on the health of the animals. While with most cows the 

 machine does not draw quite all the milk from the udder and it is 

 necessary to strip by hand, considerable time is saved by machine 

 milking. When the machines are properly cleansed and the rub- 

 ber tubing kept in an antiseptic solution, the sanitary condition of 

 the milk is improved over that ordinarily obtained by hand milking. 

 Owing to the first cost of the machines and the .labor involved in their 

 operation and cleansing, various authorities consider machine milk- 

 ing economical under usual conditions only where at least 15 to 30 

 cows are milked thruout the year. 



Regularity and kindness. — For the best results with dairy cows, 

 as with other farm animals, they should be treated with kindness at 

 all times, and regularity in feeding and care should be observed. 

 The highest yielding cows are usually of nervous temperament, and, 

 especially with such animals, excitement usually causes a sharp de- 

 crease in yield. Cows being driven should not be hurried and at- 

 tendants should never strike or otherwise abuse them. Good dairy- 

 men now realize the fact brought to public attention by W. D. 

 Hoard of Wisconsin that dairying is based on the maternity of the 

 cow, and treat their animals accordingly. As Haecker writes," "If 

 you so handle the cows that they are fond of you, you have learned 

 one of the most important lessons that lead to profitable dairying. 

 ... A cow's affection for the calf prompts the desire to give it milk; 

 if you gain her aff^ection she will desire to give you milk." 



While milking is usually regarded as a simple task which anyone 

 can do, there may be a great difference in the returns which different 

 milkers get from the same cow. A cow should be milked quietly 

 with the dry hand, and stripped out thoroly, the milker bearing 

 in mind that the last-drawn milk carries about 10 times as much fat 

 as that drawn first. 



10 Minn. Bui. 130. 



