70 BUTTER MAKING. 



if the intervals between milkings are equal, the morning's 

 milk will contain slightly less fat. This is accounted for by 

 the theory that the fat-secreting cells are more active during 

 the day, when the cow is exercising. 



It is customary in Denmark, and in other countries where 

 dairying is practiced extensively, to milk three times a day, 

 early morning, noon, and late at night. The only reason that 

 can be assigned for getting richer miik after the shorter in- 

 terval is that the distension caused by the excess of milk in 

 the udder retards or restrains the free activity of the fat-secreting 

 cells in the mammary glands. Experiments also show that 

 frequent milking gives a greater quantity of milk. The in- 

 crease, however, is not great enough to induce the average 

 dairy farmers in America at the present time to milk more 

 than twice daily. The intervals between milkings, however, 

 can, mthout any special outlay of money or time, be equahzed. 



Manner of Milking. — The milk should in all cases be drawn 

 as rapidly as possible, and in such a way as to cause no dii-;- 

 comfort to the animal. The hand and fingers should be used 

 in such a way as to imitate nature's method as closely as pos- 

 sible. When the hand is placed around the teat, the upper part 

 of the hand, or the thumb and forefinger, should close around 

 the teat first, then the others closing gradually as the milk 

 is pressed out. The fingers should encircle the teat without 

 inserting the nails and causing discomfort to the animal. The 

 Hcgeluiid method of milking, in comparison with the ordinary 

 methotl, has been investigated by Woll, and the results ob- 

 tainetl ^^•ere in favor of the former. 



The Hegelund method consists of manipulating the udder 

 and parts of the udder in a systematic and regular way by 

 hfting and pressing the different quarters of the udder. In 

 the Wisconsin University herd of 24 cows, with which Dr. 

 Woll experimented, the quantity of milk was increased by 4.5';'o 

 and the quantity of fat by 9.2%, by the use of the Hegelund 

 method. 



