224 THE CREAMERY PATRON'S HANDBOOK. 



changes. In the experiments, the changes in the inverse direction were 

 more decided than those in the same direction. 



During the test made in 1891 by the Vermont Experiment Station 1 

 there were several heavy storms. The amount of milk delivered imme- 

 diately following these was larger than just before. The quality of milk 

 cannot be said to vary much in any direction, but the milk of the second 

 morning after the storm was less in quantity and richer in quality than 

 before. The amount of this disturbance was not in accord with the size 

 of the storm. The cows do not appear to have made any change in the 

 quantity or quality of the milk on the approach of the storm, and no con- 

 nection is traceable between the storms and pounds of butter produced. 

 Observations after sixty storms show that after seven there was diminished 

 quantity and after three there was no change. 2 



In experiments conducted at this station (Indiana) in 1893 milk cows 

 exposed to the weather in the winter, but provided with night shelter, 

 made a very unfavorable showing, as compared with those given shelter 

 in the stable excepting for brief airing when the weather was suitable. 

 The exposed cows ate more food, lost in weight and also in milk yield, while 

 the sheltered ones gained in weight and made a better showing. At the 

 Kansas Experiment Station similar results were obtained. 



REGULARITY AND UNIFORMITY OF MILKING. While the process of 

 milk secretion is a continuous one, it is not entirely uniform, for, as is gen- 

 erally believed, the rate of secretion is increased greatly while milking. 

 Again, in proof of this the distention of the milk ducts and reservoirs by 

 milk already present, acts as a check upon secretion. In all cases the udder 

 becomes unduly distended with milk between milkings, and an increased 

 flow will be secured by milking off the milk. The time of milking should 

 be regular, for a difference of an hour will frequently make a difference of 

 10 per cent, in the amount secreted, and if the irregularities are frequent 

 a diminished flow will result, The amount given is also considerably af- 

 fected by the way in which the milk is drawn. In general it may be said 

 that rapid milking is conducive to a large flow. At all times the milk should 

 be drawn so that no discomfort is caused to the animal, and in this respect 

 there is a great difference among milkers. A rapid, uniform stroke, with 

 a firm touch of the teat and a stroking motion of the lower part of the udder 

 gives the best results. Babcock has found that certain milkers get not only 

 more, but richer milk than others from the same cow. 



The Vermont Experiment Station undertook to demonstrate 3 the fact 

 that fast milking is more advantageous than slow. In so doing, eight cows 



1" Rept. Vermont Agr. Exp. Station, 1891. 



2 Bulletin 30, Nebraska Agr. Exp. Station. C. L. Ingersoll and H. B. 



Duncanson. 



3 Vermont Experiment Station. Report of '91, page 55. 



