A WELL BALANCED RATION 281 



contact with the certified herd, either in the stables or elsewhere. 



12. Bedding. — No dusty or moldy hay, or straw, bedding 

 from horse stalls, or other unclean animals shall be used for 

 bedding the cows. Only bedding which is clean, dry, and 

 absorbent may be used, preferably shavings or straw. 



13. Cleaning Stable and Disposal of Manure. — Soiled bed- 

 ding and manure shall be removed at least twice daily, and the 

 floors shall be swept and kept free from refuse. Such cleaning 

 shall be done at least one hour before the milking timet 

 Manure, when removed, shall be drawn to the field or tem- 

 porarily stored in containers so screened as to exclude flies. 

 Manure shall not be even temporarily stored within 300 feet of 

 the barn or dairy building (Fig. 93). 



14. Cleaning of Cows. — Each cow in the herd shall be 

 groomed daily, and no manure, mud, or filth shall be allowed to 

 remain upon her during milking; for cleaning, a vacuum 

 apparatus is recommended. 



15. Clipping. — Long hairs shall be clipped from the udder 

 and flanks of the cow and from the tail above the brush. The 

 hair on the tail shall be cut so that the brush may be well 

 above the ground. 



16. Cleaning of Udders. — The udders and teats of the cow 

 shall be cleaned before milking; they shall be washed with a 

 cloth and water, and dry wiped with another clean sterilized 

 cloth — a separate cloth for drying each cow. 



17. Feeding. — All feedstuff's shall be kept in an apartment 

 separate from and not directly communicating with the cow 

 barn. They shall be brought into the barn only immediately 

 before feeding hour, which shall follow the milking. 



18. Only those feeds shall be used which consist of fresh, 

 palatable, or nutritious materials, such as will not injure the 

 health of the cows or unfavorably affect the taste or character of 

 the milk. Any dirty or moldy feed or feed in a state of decom- 

 position or putrefaction shall not be given. 



19. A well-balanced ration shall be used, and all changes of 

 feed shall be made slowly. The first few feedings of grass^ 



