CHAPTER IX 

 COWS THAT ARE MILKED BY HAND 



In many respects the management of cows that are 

 milked by hand is essentially different from that of cows 

 that suckle their calves, hence these two classes will be 

 discussed in separate chapters. In Chapter IX the fol- 

 lowing points will be considered with reference to the 

 care and management of cows that are milked by hand ; 

 (i) Hand-milking and milk production; (2) Manage- 

 ment during the period of rest; (3) ^Management at 

 parturition; (4) Shelter required in winter; (5) Exer- 

 cise called for; (6) Protection required in summer; (j) 

 Cows in milk should be driven gently; (8) What good 

 milking means; (9) Keeping milk records; (10) Ab- 

 sorbents in the stables; (11) Drying of cows; and (12) 

 jManagement relating to breeding. 



Hand-milking and milk production. — That hand- 

 milking properly conducted tends to increase the 

 capacity of cows to give milk cannot be questioned. 

 The tendency with cows that suckle their calves is to 

 provide only what the calf will take and to cease to 

 give milk when the calf is weaned. This means that 

 ordinarily the cow that suckles her own calf provides 

 milk for one calf, and not usually for a longer period 

 than six months, whereas the cow of ancestry hand- 

 milked for successive generations may be made to give 

 milk enough to feed several calves for a much longer 

 period than with the former. In fact, it is quite possible 

 to so stimulate milk production that a cow once in milk 

 may be milked continuoush' for successive j'ears. In- 

 heritance, selection in breeding, food, management and 

 the artificial conditions to which the cow is subjected 

 may all be made to assist in establishing the habit of 



