Duration of Flow 39 
foods, and that the bowels are kept free and open. 
Ordinarily, milk does not appear in the udder more 
than a few hours before parturition. It is usually 
abundant as soon as parturition takes place, and its 
regular and complete removal, having due regard for 
the condition of the animal, is a very efficient means 
of establishing a large flow. And if there are no 
troubles attending parturition and the .establishment 
of the milk flow, the animal may be fed liberally as 
soon as the milk has lost its colostrum character, 
and under favorable conditions of health, food and 
treatment, the flow of milk will increase for two to 
four weeks after the calf is dropped, at which time 
it ordinarily has reached its maximum. From this 
time, favorable conditions continuing, the flow of 
milk may be kept very nearly constant for several 
months. If the cow is to produce a calf regularly 
each year, she will naturally be bred about three 
months after calving. It is not at all uncommon for 
cows to show a quite marked diminution in the milk. 
flow immediately after service, but the best cows will 
continue to yield milk with very little diminution 
until the foetus begins to grow and make demands 
upon the mother at the fifth or sixth month of preg- 
naney. From this time until the seventh month there 
will be a regular and quite rapid diminution in the 
flow until the tendency to go dry is strong, as has 
already been said, at about the seventh month. 
The operation of milking.—The production of milk 
is also dependent to a considerable extent upon the 
operation of milking. A skilful milker will get ap- 
