204 THE MANAGEMENT AND FEEDING OF CATTLE 



an argument favoring the early removal of the voidings 

 in the morning. 



The chief of the absorbents used are dry earth, 

 muck, litter, and such material substances as gypsum 

 and phosphate. Earth may be used where other ab- 

 sorbents are not at hand, but to use either earth or 

 muck means that a supply must be stored near at hand 

 in the autumn. Muck has even greater absorbing power 

 than dry earth. Litter in the natural form, but more 

 especially when cut, that is chafifed. will always be a 

 favorite absorbent because of the ease with which it may 

 be handled as litter or as manure. Gypsum has power 

 to fix and hold ammonia that to some extent is lost when 

 absorbents are not used. The same is true of ground 

 phosphatic rock and also of acid phosphate. These sub- 

 stances are strewn in the gutters after the manure has 

 been removed. AVhen litter and gypsum or ground rock 

 phosphate, or both, are used in conjunction, odors from 

 the droppings will be well held in check and the value 

 of the manure will be enhanced. The litter is first 

 strewn in the gutters and the mineral substance is then 

 sprinkled over it. 



Even when such measures are taken to keep the 

 stables pure, the wisdom of not allowing the milk to 

 remain in the stable after it has been withdrawn will be 

 at once apparent. After all has been done that can be 

 done to keep the stables pure, the atmosphere of a stable 

 will not be so pure as the atmosphere of a milk room. 



Drying of the cows. — The drying of straight dairy 

 cows is a more difficult process than the drying of cows 

 of the dual or beef types. The difficulties of the 

 process increase with the high rank of the cow as 

 a producer, with increase in the succulence of the 

 food and with too close proximity to the time of 

 the birth of the next calf. The first results in an in- 

 crease in the tendency to continue in milk, the second 

 to the giving of a larger present quantity, and the third 



