FEEDING THROUGH LACTATION PERIOD 21 



shiver after drinking. A system which keeps fresh water before 

 cows constantly is perhaps the ideal, but any system by which the 

 animal gets all it wants at least twice a day will prove satisfactory. 

 A large, heavy-milking cow will drink 8 to 15 gallons a day, 

 depending on her feed. 



The cow should have plenty of light and fresh air. It is not 

 costly to provide light in the stable. There should be about four 

 square feet of window space per cow. A good system of ventila- 

 tion may be a little more difficult, where not provided in building, 

 but a little thought on the matter will enable the farmer to better 

 conditions in this respect, even in an old stable. The ideal tem- 

 perature for the stable is 60° F. It is not practical to maintain this 

 temperature in winter in the northern states because some system 

 of heating would be required, but the stable temperature should 

 not go below 45° F. 



The animals should not be stanchioned all the time. They 

 need exercise. They should be turned out in the yard for a time 

 every day that it is not storming. It is fine to have a covered yard 

 or shed in which they can run loose in bad weather. Some dairy- 

 men allow the cows to run loose in a large barn or covered yard 

 all the time except at milking. This is a good idea where the yard 

 or barn is warm and clean. (262, 263) 



41. Kindness and regularity.— Every animal must be treated 

 with kindness. A club or whip has no place in the dairy barn, nor 

 has a dog any place in connection with the herd. The dairy cow 

 has a nervous disposition and anything that upsets her affects her 

 milk flow. Gentle, thoughtful treatment means more milk. 



Regularity in time and manner of feeding is important. The 

 cow gets used to receiving a certain feed at a certain time and any 

 variation here upsets her. It is good practice to feed the grain 

 just before milking and the silage or other succulent feed imme- 

 diately after milking. In so doing any possibility of the milk 

 absorbing the odor of the silage is disposed of. The hay should 

 be fed after the silage. In winter, when the cows are in the barn 

 all day it may be worth while to omit the feeding of hay in the 

 morning and give it at noon, if not too inconvenient. 



