DISEASES OP COWS. 469 



troublesome are the habits of kicking, holding up the 

 milk, and sucking themselves. Cows are caused to kick 

 by fear; and the act is one of defense. Some young 

 heifers kick when first handled in the effort to miik 

 them and from nervousness ; but if they are gently used 

 this trouble is easily got over and nothing more of it 

 may be seen. If the young animal is then mismanaged 

 a vicious habit may be formed ; if she is punished by 

 beating, or is whipped, especailly if this is cruelly done, 

 as is usual in such a case, the association of the punish- 

 ment with the act becomes fixed upon the memory, and 

 ever afterward the cow may be a kicker, because it 

 naturally expects the punishment, at milking time and 

 tries to defend itself from it. The frequent change of 

 ownership also greatly helps to produce this habit, be- 

 cause some cows will resent the approach of a stranger ; 

 but this only happens with very fretful cows or those 

 which have been habitually ill-used. 



This habit may be prevented by the cautious and 

 kindly treatment of the calf and heifer before she be- 

 comes a cow. A young calf will usually make an at- 

 tempt to kick when the udder and teats are handled, but 

 the objection is soon" removed by gentle persistence in 

 the treatment previously recommended both for calves 

 and heifers, in regard to handling, brushing, and other 

 familiar attentions. A cow that has been thus reared 

 and trained will never become a kicker except by very 

 brutal treatment. To cure this vice is sometimes, if not 

 always, easy. There has never been found any difficulty 

 about it when using patience and kind and gentle treat- 

 ment, notwithstanding some occasional relapses and an- 

 noying accidents. The author's method of treatment 

 has been as follows: — First, to secure the confidence and 

 friendship of the animal ; second, to approach her cau- 

 tiously, both to avoid alarming her and to secure oneself 

 against an attack ; lastly, never to strike or punish the 



