MILKIKG.] 



CATTLE, AND THEIE VAEIETIES. 



[milking. 



to remain in the udder. It is a good plan, but 

 too generally neglected, to wash the udder 

 with warm water before milking. Nor is it of 

 less consequence to have a good-tempered and 

 expert milker. A savage, ill-tempered milker 

 will often spoil a cow ; and, if she once holds 

 up her milk, it is a proof that the milker is 

 defective or disagreeable to the animal, either 

 from her disposition and temper, or in the 

 manipulation of the udder. Pleasant milking 

 is that which sensibly relieves the cow's udder. 

 A free, decided, but gentle grasp of the teats, 

 and a full and vigorous stream of milk, are the 

 marks of a successful milker. It is desirable 

 to rub and stroke the udder when the stream 

 ceases, to encourage the delivery of the slightest 

 remains ; nor is it a bad plan for the milker, 

 or, in large dairies, for. the foreman, or even 

 master, to take a small measure, and follow the 

 milker to 'strip' all the cows. There are 

 some masters who make a point of always 

 attending to this at the milking, and they thus 

 see the character and capabilities of the milker. 

 Women are by far the most capable of milking ; 

 their hands are more gentle and delicate, and 

 the cows seem generally to prefer them." 



As a sort of climax to these remarks, we 

 would suggest a few rules, which might be 

 advantageously acted upon. If you would have 

 a gentle cow, be gentle yourself. If a cow 

 kicks much, have a switch under the left arm, 

 the pail in the left hand; and if, while milking, 

 she kicks, let this act be invariably followed by a 

 single blow. Never strike but once at a time, 

 even if she kicks so hard as to break your leg ; 

 and never omit it if she hits only the air. By 

 never striking but once she has no time to " get 

 mad," when she is all the more terrific ; for who 

 cares for a blow while stimulated by fury? A. 

 t jiall mess of pleasant food, at the time, will 

 servo to do away with any disagreeable impres- 

 t'.on in connection with milking. To be a good 

 milker, you must pare your nails short ; sit on 

 a stool ; milk fast ; never scold a cow ; never get 

 out of patience ; tie her tail to her leg in fly 

 time, and never toet the teats loith the first 

 stream of milk. Milk, applied to the teats to 

 soften them, dries and forms a glossy varnish, 

 which tends to cause cracking or chapping of 

 these parts. Cold, or a little warm water is 

 much better, becoming quite dry by the ti:ne 

 tbe milking is finished. 

 GS2 



Milking should always be performed the 

 very first thing in the morning; never later 

 than five o'clock in summer, and six in 

 winter. In the evening it may be done at 

 fivei and regularity, in this respect, should 

 punctually be observed. If distant, cows should 

 not be driven home, but the milk should be 

 carried from the field; for a great waste of 

 milk will take place, if they are driven about. 

 If under cover, their feed should be given them 

 whilst being milked. It assists to quiet them, 

 and makes them part with the liquid the 

 more freely ; and as most milk-cows, in winter 

 and spring at least, have mash, it is desirable 

 to give them this during the milking, the first 

 thing in the morning. 



Several attempts have been made to accom- 

 plish the milking by other means than the 

 hand. Syphons have been invented, which 

 were alleged to have the peculiarity of empty- 

 ing the udder without the use of the hand. 

 But they have not been found so successful as 

 to obtain any extensive encouragement. In- 

 deed, we question if they have ever been heard 

 of by many large agriculturists. The syphon 

 was constructed on an erroneous principle, by 

 distending the mouth of the inner duct of the 

 iiiilk in the teats. This subjects the cow to a 

 flaccid state of teat, and is very likely to cause 

 her to commit the fault of milking herself. 



There is a plan, in use in the United States, 

 which proceeds on the principles of compres- 

 sion and suction, and which are the only modes 

 of overcoming the tension of the udder. Tlie 

 American instrument consists of four india- 

 rubber bags, which are drawn over the teats, 

 and set so as to be air-tight. " At the lower 

 end of these, metallic tubes, with taps, are 

 inserted. When the adjustment is perfect 

 the taps are turned, and the whole of the milk 

 in the udder is said to be thoroughly exhausted, 

 and in half the time required for hand-milking. 

 It is said that a man can milk ten cows 

 thoroughly in fiteen minutes." 



A novel, and somewhat extraordinary ex- 

 periment on milk-cows, was not long ago 

 made by M. Delamarre, at Paris. After the 

 fifth or sixth gestation, and five or six weeks 

 after calving, the cow underwent an operation, 

 by which she was deprived of her ovaries, in 

 order to render her unfit for subsequent re- 

 production. This operation, though known to 



