CARE AND FEEDING OP DAIRY CATTLE. 25 



CONFINEMENT DURING CESTBUM. 

 Keep the cow or heifer tied in the barn during her periods of oestrum. 



MILKING. 

 MILKING THE HEIFEB. 



Before the first calf the heifer should have become accustomed to being tied and 

 handled, especially about the udder. She will then raise no very serious objections 

 when milking commences if the milker goes about the work carefully and gently. 

 She must not be excited, and never be struck. 



METHOD OF MILKING. 



Every hi rod man is supposed to be able to milk. However, there is a great 

 difference in milkers, and one of the greatest problems of the dairy-farmer is to get 

 competent help. One may get as much as 25 per cent, more than another from the 

 same cows. One may dry the cow up in a few months, while another would have 

 her still milking well. The milker must never excite or abuse a cow. He should 

 always milk her dry and get all her strippings at the last. Leaving milk in the udder 

 will dry her up. The first milk drawn is the poorest in butter-fat, but the last 

 drawn may run from 6 to 10 per cent. Milking is best done with the whole hand, 

 squeezing the upper part of the teat first between thumb and finger and then extend- 

 ing the pressure downward. The hands should bo well washed before milking. 



Dust and dirt carry the germs of decay perhaps of disease and these multiply 

 fast in a favourable medium like milk. Wetting the hands with milk is a dirty 

 practice, but vaseline may be used and will prevent sore teats. If it is advisable to 

 groom horses, it is much more so to groom cows. A milk-pail with partly covered 

 top is more sanitary than an open pail. The flank and udder should be wiped with 

 a damp cloth before milkings. Dust and bad odours in the air will surely taint the 

 milk. Clean milk is obtainable without expensive equipment by using common-sense, 

 cleanly methods. 



PERIOD BETWEEN MILKINGS. 



If a cow is milked at twelve-hour intervals, there is little difference between 

 milkings either in yield or richness. Usually the night period is the longer, and the 

 larger amount of milk with lower per cent, of fat is given at the morning's milking. 

 If a cow gives about 60 Ib. of milk daily, it will pay to milk her three times daily, 

 but not cows of ordinary capacity. 



MILKING-MACHINES. 



The milking-machine is a commercial success for herds of over thirty cows. It 

 has been conclusively shown that it will milk cows as well as the average milker. 

 A good milker, however, can probably beat this machine in the amount of milk 

 secured and in the length of time he can keep the cow milking. However, the cow 

 is not injured by machine-milking, and usually prefers it to hand-milking. If the 

 machine is properly cleaned and used, the sanitary condition of the milk is much 

 better than under ordinary conditions ; but with careless using the milk may be 

 worse than with careless hand-milking. Great care has to be taken to keep the tubes 

 and other parts of the machine thoroughly clean. 



RESTING THE COW BEFORE CALVING. 



After the lactation period a cow should be dry six or eight weeks to recuperate. 

 A cow will produce more and richer milk and a stronger calf if given a rest than if 

 milked right up to calving time. A cow that is not given a rest will begin at a 

 much lower level of production than will be the case if she is given a chance to 

 recuperate. In the last few months before calving the cow undergoes a severe strain. 

 If ii> thin condition she should be dry two months. 



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