62 Gnttle Problems. 



calving time, when separation of tlie progeny from the cow 

 takes place. 



As the demand for blood nutriment is constantly in- 

 creasing with the size and growth of the embryo, there 

 must of course be a corresponding reduction in the amount 

 of blood flowing in some other direction, to the udder, in 

 this case — to enable the embryo to live and grow. And 

 this reduction is the cause of the drying of the udder, in 

 cows that are milked during pregnancy, as there is no other 

 source — after the nourishment of the cow's system is provid- 

 ed for — from which blood nutriment can be increased, as 

 the increasing demand, for the growth of the embryo, re- 

 quires. It is necessary to remember that the consump- 

 tion of food, power of digestion, and extent of blood pro- 

 duction, are all naturally limited by the extent of blood nu- 

 trition required by the system of the cow individually, 

 with that of her calf, as a natural supplement, added ; but 

 that the demand for supplying the udder and pail is not 

 naturally provided for; certainly not during pregnancy, 

 by any corresponding increase of digestive power. 



If, after calving, and the weaning, or other disposition 

 of the calf, hand milking is resorted to instead of calf- 

 suckling, this is very different from the two-fold or three 

 fold demand for the products of digestion during preg- 

 nancy ; and without discussing its expediency, we simply 

 point out the fact that hand-milking during pregnancy is 

 in conflict with breeding power to the extent that it retards 

 the rate and limits the degrees of embryo growth, by de- 

 manding the same blood — especially after the early months 

 of pregnancy — that is required for nutrition, and growth 

 in the embryo. That there is a conflicting demand is un- 

 questionable ; that it makes breeding by pregnant cows 

 very inefficient, is also certain. That the usefulness of 

 many cows is materially abridged for breeding, and their 



