AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH IN NEW HAMPSHIRE 19 



od alone. It appears necessary to eliminate the infected cows as rapidlv 

 as possible by disposal or by treatment with selected drugs. In the two 

 herds where no segregation was used, the infection continually spread 

 to new cows and it was not possible to reduce the number of infected 

 cows in these herds. 



Studies on the treatment of streptococcic mastitis were continued 

 using sulphanilamide, novoxil, and tyrothricin, nineteen co\\'s were treated 

 with sulphanilamide in oil during lactation; 11 or approximately 58 per 

 cent were cured. Two cows were treated with sulphanilamide one week 

 after drying; both cows A\'ere cured. Twenty-four cows were treated 

 with novoxil during lactation; 16 or (>() per cent were cured. Thirty-four 

 cows were treated with novoxil 10 to 21 days before calving; 17 cows or 

 50 per cent were cured. Ten cows were injected with tyrothricin in oil; 

 five cows or 50 per cent were cured. 



It is evident that streptococcic mastitis can be cured if proper drugs 

 and methods are employed. However, it was found that acute cases and 

 long-standing chronic infections may not respond to treatment. Better 

 results can be obtained when cows are treated late in lactation or about 

 three weeks before calving. Novoxil Mas found to be irritating to the 

 mammary tissues, milk of lactating cows cannot be used for at least 10 

 days after treatment. Eight quarters out of 142 ^\■ith novoxil dried af- 

 ter treatment. Studies on the efficiency and use of these agents for the 

 treatment of mastitis are being continued. 



L. W. Slanetz, F. B. Allen, A. J. Shanahan 



Chore Practices in Dairy Barns 



Due to the acute farm labor shortage and because daily chores ab- 

 sorb a surprisingly large proportion of man labor on New Hampshire 

 dairy farms, the economy of routine practices demands current interest. 

 The first phase of this project is focused on the use of the milking ma- 

 chine, the function of which is to save labor. Observations and time re- 

 cords haveT)een made on 32 dairy farms and involving a total of 772 

 cows. The average machine operation per cow per milking ranged from 

 3.48 minutes to 9.58 minutes, an average of approximately six minutes per 

 cow. In some instances, farmers were attempting to do other chores 

 while the machines were operating and too frequently left the milkers 

 to long operation and have thereby lengthened the daily necessary chore 

 period. It is believed that the average time should not exceed 4 minutes 

 per cow per milking. 



Observations indicate rather definitely that many farmers do not 

 ^vatch the milking operations closely and that their cows are not trained 

 to habitual rapid milking. It is obvious that some machines need over- 

 liauling, and that more rapid milking can be obtained through a periodical 

 rene\\'al of rubbers. Whereas some farmers were consistent in the amount 

 of time consumed per cow over a period of several milkings, others were 

 inconsistent and the time fluctuated considerably from milking to 

 milking. 



H. C. WOODWORTH, K. S. MOBROV 



