CHAP. n. DAIRY COW CALENDAR. 1041 



cows require little cake or meal if they get a good allowance of roots, 

 chaff, and hay ; they should not be got too much into condition as, if 

 so, there is more danger at calving time. It is a mistake however to 

 let them get weak just before calving ; the strength should be sustained 

 at this period, because the unborn calf is making a severe demand on 

 the cow's system. Hence, allow two pounds per day of cotton cake 

 extra. Fattening meals, such as maize or barley, should not be given 

 as they only increase the fat without supplying what is required to 

 build up the frame of the calf. As the cows are being dried the food 

 should be decreased. 



JANUARY. . 



To cows in full milk give ample supplies of nutritious food, those 

 substances being selected which are known to increase the flow of milk, 

 rather than those which have a tendency to fatten. It is not in any 

 way a good practice to sacrifice quality of milk to quantity either in 

 home dairying or in the milk trade. Avoid giving heavy meals of raw 

 cold roots to cows approaching calving; slice or pulp them, and mix 

 them with other foods. To cows within two or three weeks of calving 

 begin to give daily an allowance of cake as recommended last month. 

 Attend particularly to the state of the bowels, which keep gently and 

 freely open. Cows " on note " to calve about the middle or end of 

 March should be dried off. Begin this carefully at first, gradually 

 decreasing the quantity of milk taken. When the udder gets hard, 

 with a slight tendency to inflame, rub it gently several times a day with 

 a simple cooling unguent ; camphor pomatum or oil is the best. Eub 

 only with the hand if no tendeney to inflamation shows itself. Let all 

 the animals have clean, dry stalls to He in, and sweep out all the gutters. 

 Take particular care to provide a good supply of fresh, sweet water at 

 all times : it is much better for the cows to be able to drink when they 

 wish than to only have the opportunity of doing so at stated times. If 

 the weather is very severe it is best to use hike-warm water in order 

 not to lower the temperature of the cow's system. 



FEBRUARY. 



Do not expose cows in-calf, and especially those near their time, to 

 cold weather, or to damp and rain. Should they by chance get wet, 

 house them quickly, and rub them down with dry straw. Give them 

 dry bedding and a warm mash. Give to cows, in full milk, juicy and 

 succulent food; slice or pulp the roots, cut the straw into chaff, and 

 make the whole into a mash, but not too warm, or too thin in con- 

 sistency. Silage in moderation is useful at this season, as it is not so 

 cold as roots ; but this implies well-made silage, known as " sweet silage." 

 If it has been made at a low temperature it has a strong sour smell, 

 which seldom fails to communicate itself to the milk. Silage, indeed, 

 even sweet silage, is not regarded as a desirable kind of food for the 

 production of milk for the trade. Here, indeed, a man must be careful 

 as to the food he gives to his cows. Add also feeds of brewers' or 



3 x 



