95 THE MANAGEMENT AND FEEDING OF CATTLE 



begun, but will more quickly resent the innovation by 

 kicking or prancing about with the hind limbs, which is 

 simply an effort to make the milker desist. If the 

 heifer has been handled occasionally and with sufficient 

 gentleness previously to parturition, and especially if 

 such handling has extended to the udder and teats, the 

 resistance offered by the heifer while being broken in 

 is likely to be much less than it would otherwise be. The 

 previous handling of the heifer is of sufficient importance 

 to merit careful attention from the owner. If the heifer 

 should resist by kicking, she should not be paid back 

 in kind, as is so frequently done. Doubtless the aim 

 of the heifer is to get rid of the intrusion which she does 

 not understand. 



Three qualities, at least, should be prominent in 

 those who engage in this work. These are self-control, 

 firmness, and gentleness, important, probably, in the 

 order named. The man who has not absolute control 

 of his temper should not engage in this work or he will 

 certainly wrong the heifer and in so doing will wrong 

 himself. He must, neverthless, have firmness. By 

 soothing the heifer with gentle words, which, in some 

 way, even heifers seem to understand, accompanied by 

 handling calculated to soothe, the individual at length 

 gets his hand on the udder and teats, not necessarily 

 drawing milk from them at first. By this time he should 

 be in the attitude of one milking, but without a milk stool. 

 His head may be rested gently against the hind flank. 

 If the heifer should try to kick, a little pressure of the 

 head at that instant will almost certainly prevent the blow 

 from reaching him as it otherwise would. The heifer 

 seems to understand this attitude of fearlessness on the 

 part of the milker, and soon comes to respect it. Everj^ 

 movement should be gentle, and the utterance of sooth- 

 ing words occasionally will be helpful. Before the 

 milker leaves, a little scratching on the top of the head 

 behind the horns, or such petting otherwise as the heifer 



