Agricultural Research in New Hampshire 31 



Management Practices in University Herd 



Work on this project to date has concerned itself with a studv of the 

 effect of certain herd management practices on milk production. The 

 data pertaining to factors affecting breeding efficiency will be studied 

 during the coming year. 



In a comparison of the influence of the month of freshening on sub- 

 sequent lactation milk yield (4 per cent F. C. AI.), each of the four 

 breeds, Ayrshire, Guernsey, Holstein, and Jersey^ showed a marked in- 

 crease for March and April calving as compared with February. In gen- 

 eral, August appeared to be the poorest month for calving. There was 

 no significant difference among breeds as to month of calving and its 

 effect on milk production. 



K. S. jMorrow, H. a. Keener 



Chore Efficiency 



Detailed chore records were made on nine large dairy farms. This 

 included over-all records on chores and detailed stop watch records on 

 milking and other major practices. 



When the data are plotted on charts, the large amount of time used 

 in milking is outstanding. On these nine farms, a total of 3059 man min- 

 utes were used daily in milking 335 cows. This includes carrying milk 

 to milk house but not care of equipment. In comparison, all feeding op- 

 erations, including sweeping mangers, required 1111 man minutes. Ma- 

 nure disposal, cleaning gutters, and bedding required 1469 man minutes 

 for the 335 cows milked and 70 dry cows. Of the total time used on 

 these three major chores, 57 per cent was used in milking, 27 per cent in 

 cleaning, and 16 per cent in feeding. 



In milking the lowest time required was 4.8 man minutes daily per 

 cow and the highest was 13.9. The study is continuing on the same 

 farms and changes are underway to reduce time required. 



H. C. Woodworth, K. S. Morrow, J. C. Holmes 



Studies of Bovine Mastitis 



Particular attention has been given to the chemotherapeutic value of 

 penicillin for the treatment of mastitis. The penicillin, supplied through 

 the courtesy of Lederle Laboratories, Pearl River, New York, Avas pre- 

 pared so that each 100 vil contained 100,000 or 200,000 Oxford units. A 

 100 ml dose was injected into the infected quarter through the teat canal. 

 Cows were given either one, two. or four injections immediately after 

 milking. Cows given more than one injection were treated at 12-hour 

 intervals. 



Thirty-three cows and 59 quarters with streptococcal mastitis (S. 

 agalactiae) were treated with penicillin, and 31 cows (93.9 per cent) and 

 55 quarters (93.2 per cent) were cured. Of the two cows not cured by 

 the first treatment, one was cured after having been re-treated. Eight 

 cows and 14 quarters with staphylococcal mastitis were treated with 

 penicilHn, and six cows (75 per cent) and 11 quarters (78.5 per cent) 



