158 Animal H usbandry 
from reaching the stable. The covered shed, if one is used, and 
stable-yard must be clean and well drained. 
The cows should be bedded liberally, particularly if the floor 
is of cement. The bedding should not be permitted to become 
foul, as this not only lessens the comfort of the cattle, but makes 
it more difficult to keep them clean, and it promotes disease. Old 
straw makes the best bedding material, but, when high in price, it 
may be replaced by many other materials, such as shavings from 
the planing mill, — which make a clean and sweet bedding, — 
by tan-bark, by leaves, and the like. 
261. Milk-house. — Preferably the milk-house should be sepa- 
rate from the barn and located at a safe distance from all sources 
of contamination, yet convenient to the cows. It should be- 
divided into two rooms, one for heating water and cleaning the 
utensils, and the other for weighing, sampling, cooling, and storing 
the milk. The milk-house should be well lighted and well venti- 
lated, the floors should be constructed of cement, and the walls 
and ceiling made tight and smooth in order that they may be easily 
cleaned. The windows and doors should be screened to exclude 
the flies. 
262. Milk utensils. — The milk-cooler, the pails, cans, strainers, 
and the like, should be first soaked in warm water, then washed 
in boiling water containing some cleaning material, rinsed in clean, 
hot water, and then sterilized with steam. After this thorough 
cleaning, they should be inverted in the pure air, preferably 
in the sunlight. 
263. Milking. — The milker should be cleanly in his habits, 
and should milk with dry hands. A small-topped milk pail should 
be used to exclude the dirt as far as possible. As soon as each cow 
is milked, the milk should be taken directly to the milk-house and 
there weighed, a record made of the weight, a sample taken to 
test for the fat, then it should be strained, and immediately run 
over a cooler, reducing its temperature as low as possible (Fig. 64). 
The milk should then be kept at as low a temperature as possible. 
