THE DAIRY HERD 71 



feeding leads to the same result. If, for example, cows 

 that have been accustomed to receive their concentrates 

 before milking, should receive them at times after milk- 

 ing, a reduction in the yield would be at once noticed. 

 This is just what might be expected. Withholding the 

 concentrates occasionally, will make the cows restless and 

 discontented, which will sufficiently jar their nervous sys- 

 tem to cause a perceptible drop in the milk flow. Sudden 

 changes of feeds will act in a similar manner. 



Time Between Milkings. The periods between milk- 

 ings should be as nearly equal as possible. For example, 

 if cows are being milked at six o'clock in the morning, 

 they are also preferably milked at six o'clock at night. 

 The more uniform the periods between milkings, the more 

 uniform the secretion of milk, and consequently the 

 greater the production. The time between milkings also 

 influences the richness of the milk. If the two milking 

 periods are not equal, it will be found that the milk of the 

 shorter period will be the richer. 



Frequency of Milking. As a rule nothing is gained 

 by milking a cow three times instead of twice daily. In 

 the case of exceptionally heavy milkers whose udders 

 become unduly distended, there is, however, a distinct 

 advantage in milking three times daily. The fact that 

 milk from the shorter intervals between milkings has 

 been found richer than that from the longer intervals, 

 has driven some to the practice of milking average pro- 

 ducers three times a day, with the hope of permanently 

 increasing the test. While under such circumstances the 

 test may be raised somewhat, the raise is only a temporary 

 one. 



The Value of a Good Milker. From what has already 

 been said, it is evident that the milker plays an important 



