1869. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



385 



laid, the publication of the above communica- 

 tion has been delayed longer than it should 

 have been. 



QENTIiE TREATMENT OF CO"WS. 



Mr. X. A. Willard, the great cheese factory 

 man of New York, in a communication to the 

 Western Rural, discourses of the importance 

 of kind treatment of cows. 



We wish it could be generally and thor- 

 oughly understood that nothing pays better in 

 the dairy than kindness and gentleness to stock. 

 Milch cows should be kept as quiet and com- 

 fortable as possible, and no person should 

 be employed in milking that the animals fear. 



Any undue nervous excitement not only les- 

 sens the quantity, but depreciates the quality 

 of milk. Sometimes cows take a dislike to 

 their milker and in such cases a change should 

 be made, otherwise there is liability of the 

 cow falling off in her milk. We have seen 

 cases of this kind and although such freaks 

 are quite unaccountable, it will always be 

 found better to change the milker, if possible; 

 rather than to attempt to conquer this pecu- 

 liarity. 



We do not approve the practice common 

 with some dairymen of the milkers milking the 

 cows indiscriminately. The hands should each 

 select a certain number of cows and continue 

 to milk them from day to day throughout the 

 season. The hours of milking should be 

 regular and each cow should be milked in reg- 

 ular order. The milk should be drawn rap- 

 idly and to the last drop, and all loud talking 

 singing and wrangling avoided. These are 

 little things in themselves and may seem to 

 many to be "over-nice." There was a time 

 when we thought so, but repeated and well- 

 conducted experiments have convinced us that 

 they are important points to be attended to, 

 and must be observed to obtain the best re- 

 sults. 



We always insist that the milkers study the 

 disposition of the cows under their charge, 

 that they become familiar or perfectly ac- 

 quaintfe'd with each animal, patting them or in 

 other ways making them understand that you 

 are friendly and fond of them. When once 

 their confidence has been obtained in this way, 

 they will exhibit affection in return and will 

 yield in the increased quantity of milk more 

 than enough to pay for the time and trouble 

 given to the purpose indicated. Some cows 

 are extremely nervous and excitable ; such re- 

 quire extra caution and attention in manage- 

 ment, otherwise they soon become worthless 

 for the dairy. 



In driving cattle from the pasture to the 

 stable they should never be hurried or made 

 to go faster than a walk. Good cows at this 

 season have well filled udders, which makes it 

 painful to move over the ground faster than a 

 walk. Besides in warm weather by hurrying 



the animal there is always danger of over- 

 heating her blood and milk, and thus not only 

 injuring it but all the other milk with which it 

 comes in contact. Dogs should never be al- 

 lowed in a dairy. They are the source of in- 

 finite mischief. 



In all our observations we have never yet 

 met with a strictly first class dairy of cheese 

 where the cows were dogged from the pasture 

 to the stable. What we desire to impress 

 upon the minds of farmers is that these truths 

 should be understood not only in the abstract, 

 but that they be immediately carried into 

 practice. Neither good butter nor good 

 cheese can be made from diseased milk, nor 

 can good milk be had from diseased cows. 



HAIiTBR BREAK YOUNQ COLTS. 



Any time after a colt is two weeks old, he 

 should be halter broke, so that when the dam 

 is in use, either upon the road or farm, he 

 may be kept at her side or secured in the 

 stable. The halter may be put on with little 

 trouble in the stable. Have the mother har- 

 nessed, and hitch the halter strap to the hame 

 ring, not giving more than two feet play room ; 

 then lead the dam out, and the colt will be 

 obliged to follow, and will soon give up. 



Any young animal will submit to coercion, 

 if the force appears to be the will of the 

 parent. For this reason we do not approve 

 of halter-breaking young colts by hauling 

 them, or being hauled about by them. 



Every person who drives his team upon the 

 highway, the colt to follow at will, experiences 

 more trouble by having it follow off other 

 horses, or getting lost from the dam, than to 

 ten times pay the expense of a halter and hal- 

 ter-breaking ; and besides it is not sate or 

 profitable when using the mare in hot weather, 

 to allow the colt to suck at any time he may 

 choose. Colts are easily injured by taking 

 heated milk, and do not recover from the 

 effects for a year or more — in fact, never get 

 entirely over it, for they become reduced in 

 flesh, get lousy, shed their hair, and barely 

 pass through the first year of their existence, 

 which is the most critical period of their 

 growth and development. An inferior year- 

 ling is not usually chosen to bring up into a 

 good horse. 



There is just as much profit in having the 

 colt under subjection while the dam is in use 

 upon the farm, as when driven upon the road 

 The same trouble, and perhaps more fre- 

 quently, may arise from heated milk while 

 performing heavy work ; and there are, also, 

 many chances for the animal to injure itself, 

 if at liberty, by attempting to jump over har- 

 rows cr mowing machines while they are in 

 motion. Crops are often injured by colts un- 

 haltered when the mother is drawing the cul- 

 tivator in the corn field. 



Even if the colt is usually to be kept in the 

 barn while the dam is in the harness, it is 



