Book VII. MANAGEMENT OF DAIRY COWS. 



1037 



of gestation is accomplished, assumes, in some degree, the appearance of milk, and may be drawn from 

 the teats. To spring at the bearing, is when this part is more than ordinarily large and distended Heifers 

 are said to spring soonest at bearing, and old cows at the udder. Some cows are peculiarly given to abor 

 tions ; and where this happens, they should never be continued long in the herd, as being unlikely to 

 yield any considerable degree of profit to their owners. ' 



6876. Cows which are expected shortly to calve ought to be lodged at night in a large convenient out- 

 house, or some other place, for a week or two previously to calving, as it mav be the means of saving the 

 life of the calf, and perhaps that of its dam : for, when a calf drops in the Vard or field under such cir 

 cumstances, the hazard of its perishing through the inclemency of the weather is verv great, and it mav 

 considerably endanger the life of the cow. But if, from inattention or other causes, the creature should 

 catch cold by calving abroad in sharp winter nights which mav be perceived bv a refusal of her food and 

 by her trembling joints), she ought immediately to be driven into a warm shed, together with her 'calf 

 and fed with sugar-sops and ale, and with the best and sweetest hay, and should not be suffered to drink 

 any cold water. By this treatment she will mostly recover in a few days ; but should the disorder hang 

 about her, balls composed of aromatic cordial substances may be given. 



6877. A milch cow is in her prime at Jive years old, and will generally continue in a good milking state 

 till ten years old or upwards ; but this depends greatly on the constitution of the animal, some cows like 

 other animals, exhibiting marks of old age much earlier than others. 



6878. Cows of large size yield great store of milk when turned on pastures where the grass is in sufficient 

 abundance, or fed with a constant supply of such food as, from its succulency, conduces much towards the 

 nutriment of the creature, and enables her to give large quantities of milk, such as turnips, grains, garden 

 vegetables, &c. But as these large cows require a more ample provision than would fall to their share on 

 the generality of farms, it would seem that they should not be kept by those farmers whose land is not of 

 the most fertile kind ; for, on ordinary keep, a small cow will vield a fairer profit than one of the York- 

 shire or Staffordshire breed, which, having been bred on the best kind of land, would be starved where a 

 Scotch or a Welsh cow would find an ample supply of food. 



6879. Those who would make the utmost advantage from cows, either as calf-sucklers, dairymen or 

 milk-sellers, should always provide a bull to run in the herd, to obviate the perpetual trouble of driving 

 them perhaps a mile or more to the bull, and in order to prevent the loss and inconvenience of their be- 

 coming frequently barren. One bull will generally be sufficient for twentv cows. These animals are in 

 their prime at two years old, and should never be suffered to continue longer in a state of virility than to 

 the fifth year; as, after that time, bulls which before were gentle and lay quiet in the cow pastures arc- 

 mostly apt to contract vicious dispositions, and become very unmanageable. Whenever this happ'ens 

 they should be immediately castrated. In the principal town dairies of Scotland, such as Edinburgh' 

 Glasgow, &c. the cows are never allowed to take the bull, but are sold off, after being kept a year or less' 

 to the butcher, and fresh cows bought in their place. This is one very remarkable difference between 

 the management here and in the town dairies of England. 



6880. For feeding of stalled cows, the following directions are given to the cow-feeder in an improved 

 dairy establishment near Farnham, in Surrey : — " Go to the cow stall at six o'clock in the morning 

 winter and summer ; give each cow half a bushel of the field beet, carrots, turnips, or potatoes cut ■ at 

 seven o'clock, the hour the dairy-maid comes to milk them, give each some hav, and let them feed' till 

 they are all milked. If any cow refuses hay, give her something she will eat, such as grains, carrots, &c. 

 during the time she is milking, as it is absolutely necessary the cow should feed whilst milking. As soon 

 as the woman has finished milking in the morning, turn "the cows into the airing ground, and let there 

 be plenty of fresh water in the troughs ; at nine o'clock give each cow three gallons of a mixture com- 

 posed of eight gallons of grains and four gallons of bran or pollard ; when they have eaten that, put some 

 hay into the cribs; at twelve o'clock give each three gallons of the mixture as before; if any cow looks 

 for more, give her another gallon ; on the contrary, if she will not eat what vou give her, take it out of 

 the manger, never at one time letting a cow have more than she will eat up clean. Mind and keep your 

 mangers clean, that they do not get sour. At two o'clock give each cow half a bushel of carrots, field 

 beet, or turnips ; look the turnips, &c. over well before you give them to the cows, as one rotten turnip, 

 &c. will give a bad taste to the milk, and most likely spoil a whole dairy of butter. At foui o'clock put 

 the cows into the stall to be milked ; feed them on hay, as you did at milking time in the morning, ever 

 keeping in mind that the cow whilst milking must feed on something. At six o'clock give each cow 'three 

 gallons of the mixture as before. Kack them up at eight o'clock. Twice in a week put into each cow's 

 feed, at noon, a quart of malt dust." 



6881. Directions to the dairy-maid : — " Go to the cow stall at seven o'clock ; take with vou cold water 

 and a sponge, and wash each cow's udder clean before milking ; dowse the udder well with cold water 

 winter and summer, as it braces, and repels heat. Keep your hands and arms clean. Milk each cow as 

 dry as you can, morning and evening ; and when you have milked each cow, as vou suppose, dry, begin 

 again with the cow you first milked, and drip them each ; for the principal reason* of cows failing in their 

 milk is from negligence in not milking each cow dry, particularly at the time the calf is taken from the 

 cow. Suffer no one to milk a cow but yourself, and have no gossiping in the stalL Everv Saturday night 

 give in an exact account of the quantity of milk each cow has given in the week." [Form Mag vol xv 

 p. 314.) 



6882. Harley^s dairy establishment at Glasgow has been celebrated since ISIj. The object of the pro- 

 prietor, who is engaged in various extensive concerns, is to supply the public with new milk free from 

 adulteration, and to have the cow-house, cows, and milk kept in a more cleanly state than by the usual 

 mode. 



CSSj. Barleu*s corn-house is fitted up upon a new construction. ing up the milk, and at the same time of admitting air, pre- 



The cattle stand in rows, twelve in arow, across the house, head vents adulteration by the retailer. The cows are not farmed 



and head, and tail and tail, alternately ; there is a passage out to milkmen as in London. 



behind for cleaning, and one in front for feeding. In front of 6"»SG. The stock of cows for some time back has been 120 



each cow is a wire grating, hung like a window sash, which averaging eleven English quarts each perdav ; but both quality 



lifts up when giving the soft food and cleaning the cribs, and and quantity depend much upon the kind ot'Yood. Harley gives 



is put down when they get hay, &c. The contrivances for a decided preference to the Ayrshire breed of cows. Thev are 



washing the cribs, collecting the' urine, ventilating the house, bought chiefly at country fairs, either nev»lv calved, or a few 



&c, give peculiar advantages to the establishment, which may weeks before calving, and never turned out till they go to the 



be summed up in the following items: — The health of the butcher. 



cattle; the preservation of thetimbers; thediromished danger 6S87. Thefood of the corvs during summer consists of cut grass 



from fire, there being no hay-loft above the cattle ; the pre- and green barley mixed with old hav; and during winter 



servation of the provender ; and the flavour of the milk. The Hariey uses a ^ood many turnips and potatoes, all of which are 



heat is regulated by thermometers. A circulation of air can steamed and mixed with cut hay and straw ; also grains and 



be produced, so as to keep the cattle comfortable in the hottest distillery wash, when these can be got. 



weather, by which their health is promoted. The ventilation 6888. When there is mure new milk than supplies the demand, 



aLso prevents the timber from rotting ; makes the cows eat part is put in the milk-house till next day, when the skimmed 



their fodder better, as their breath is allowed to escape, instead milk is sold at half price, and the cream sold at 1*. 6d. per 



of being thrown back upon the food, as is the case when their quart. When any cream is left, it is put in a churn, and made 



heads are placed opposite a wall. It is well known that milk into butter once a week or fortnight. 



easily takes a taste from anv other substance ; of course, if the 6S89. A table of regulations has been adopted for the times of 



cow-house is filled with bad air, the milk, while passing from feeding, milking, currying the cattle, cleaning the house, &c. 



the teat to the pail, and during the time it may stand in the Each person has a currycomb and a hair cloth for cleaning the 



house, will be impregnated with the foul atmosphere. cows twice a day, and a mop and pail for the house, which c 



6SS4. In feeding, and preparing the food, Harley has made washed and sanded twice a day. 



many experiments; and by the mode he now follows, the 6890. The cleanly state of the cattle and house makes it a treat 



cattle fatten and milk better, than by the ordinary process; for visitors to see the establishment ; and the wav the ve.^li 



and the milk has no taste from turnips or other vegetables. and milk-house are kept has made some peop!e fond of milt 



I1SS5. The arrangement for milking, insures the cow to be who formerly were disgusted at it, from the manner in which 



clean milked, and also prevents fraud ; and the mode of lock- many town dairies are conducted. 



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