THE, DAIRY HHRD 79 



in box stalls about a week before calving; (2) it enables 

 one to tell the exact length of time cows have carried 

 their calves, and therefore makes possible the detection 

 of premature births and abortions; (3) one knows the 

 exact length of the lactation period of each cow. 



1. Where the date of service is not known, it fre- 

 quently happens that cows are obliged to calve in their 

 stalls or stanchions. Such unfortunate occurrences should 

 be prevented by confining cows in roomy box stalls not 

 less than a week before they are due to calve. 



2. In case the date of service is not known, it is 

 perfectly possible for cows to drop living abortions which 

 the owner may mistake for mature calves. Where the 

 abortion is of a contagious nature the danger of mistakes 

 of this kind is too evident to need further explanation. 



3.' Most dairymen appreciate the value of persistent 

 milkers, yet comparatively few are able to tell, even 

 approximately, the length of the lactation period of the 

 different cows in the herd. The only certain way of 

 knowing how long each cow produces milk after calving 

 is to record the date of calving. 



"Drying Off" Cows. As a rule it is desirable to 

 have cows "go dry" at least a month before calving. 

 This has the effect of increasing the supply of nutrients 

 for the development of the foetus, as well as enabling 

 the cow to store up some reserve energy which will put 

 her in better physical condition for the act of parturition 

 and the period immediately following. 



Where it is desirable to hasten the "drying off," the 

 following method will be of value. Start drying off by 

 not milking the cow clean. This will quickly reduce 

 the flow to a point where it is safe to skip every other 

 milking. After a few days, or perhaps a week, the 



