113 



economical feeding of a herd of cattle is a matter of great 

 importance. It is not hoy's worh^ but rather a matter 

 demanding the best judgment and close attention to 

 detail, their appetites vary day by day requiring as much 

 food as they eat up clean and no more. No creature will 

 eat food that has lain in the crib and been breathed over 

 for hours, nor that which has lain on the floor and been 

 trampled on. Small rations, and often repeated, are best. 



Grooming . — The daily grooming of cows is of quite as 

 much importance as of horses, and should be attended to, 

 and the stable thoroughly cleaned each morn before milk- 

 ing, and after being turned into the yard, as they should 

 be every fair day, they will complete their toilet by 

 lajDping themselves, so far as they can, and changing 

 work by doing it for each other about the head and such 

 parts of the body as they are unable to reach themselves. 

 Beside the daily cleaning of the stable it should have, at 

 least two or three times a year, a more thorough renovation. 

 Prepare a strong solution of sulphate of iron, carbolic acid, 

 sulphur, and corrosive sublimate in water, and with your 

 spraying pump thoroughly spray every nook and corner, 

 except the cribs. Then give the same a good coat of 

 strong whitewash. The frequent use of land plaster and 

 road dust well sprinkled over the floors, will aid in cleanli- 

 ness and add much to the value of your fertilizer. I know 

 of no substance used for food so susceptible to the effect 

 of strong pungent odors as freshly drawn milk. It should 

 be always removed from the stable at once. 



Milking. — Milking should be done each day by the same 

 person,' and at a regular hour of the day. A new milker 

 every day or two would dry up the best cow in the herd. 

 The best milker is he, who, in silence, does his work the 

 most gently, in the shortest time. 



DeJiorni7ig. — Dehorning we look upon as one of the bar- 

 barous fads, brought about by the western cattle raiser, 



