296 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan. 



before I would have my cows drink it ice cold. It should 

 be borne in mind, always, that the milch cow as we find her 

 to-day is to a large extent an artificial production, so far as 

 her milk-producing abilities are concerned. It has been 

 careful management and skillful breeding that have brought 

 her to the present standard. By long-continued breeding, 

 her milk-yielding qualities have become fixed, and she has 

 the power to transmit these qualities to her offspring. Yet, 

 remembering that they are largely artificial, it is the part of 

 wisdom for us to exercise the utmost care that nothing 

 occurs to injure this living piece of machinery that is so 

 susceptible to an unnatural influence. I can scarcely realize 

 anything that is so deserving of criticism as the turning out 

 of cows into an open yard in the winter season, to drink from 

 a tub or trough in which the ice must first be broken. 



Again, it has always been my custom to give my cows a 

 daily carding, hence no man has ever seen on one of my 

 herd a particle of dirt or manure that had been there for a 

 longer time than twenty-four hours. Of course this carding 

 is done only after the cows have come into their winter 

 quarters. I am well satisfied that this work pays, and would 

 believe it if nothing else was accomplished than the keeping 

 the cows clean. But I believe my cows like their morning 

 toilet, and that the operation has a good effect on both their 

 disposition and temper. Cleanliness is an attribute of almost 

 every animal, but particularly is this characteristic inherent 

 in cows. Cleanliness should be carefully observed as every 

 point in and around the barn, for the susceptibility of milk 

 to become impregnated with objectionable odors is known to 

 every farmer. 



While every feature in the care and management of the 

 milch cow is an essential one in itself, that of feeding is 

 all-important, and calls into play care, intelligence, skill 

 and discretion. The physical structure of a cow is such as 

 to require a larger amount of feed in proportion to her size 

 than other neat stock. She not only eats to maintain her 

 physical being and strength, but also to secrete matter that 

 is transformed into milk. A cow cannot produce milk unless 

 she has been fed a sufficient quantity of milk-producing feed. 

 Feed of the same kind varies in its nutritive qualities under 



