22 ILLINOIS DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



be just long enough so that the droppings will fall into the gut- 

 ter. With every precaution, however, some of the droppings 

 will still fall upon the floor. These should be raked into the 

 gutter the last thing at night before leaving the stibles, the first 

 thing in the morning upon returning and again after the morn- 

 ing feeding is done, before the cows begin to lie down again. 

 For this purpose a blunt stiff handled hoe should be used. 



While no doubt it would be better for a cow to stand up'"'n 

 a soft dirt floor, it is nevertheless necessary that the floors should 

 be of wood or cement. 



Cows are continually stepping, moving and shifting fri:)m 

 one foot to the other and with a dirt floor the stables Vvould be 

 clouded with dust at all hours. The objection to the hard flo'^rs 

 can be largely overcome by supplying a liberal amount of beti- 

 ding to each cow. It takes away harshness while standing and 

 makes it warm wdien she lies down. 



Another advantage in using bedding freely is, that as it 

 falls into the gutter it absorbs the liquid manure and preserves 

 it until it is hauled out to the fields. The manure should be re- 

 moved from the barn at least once a day. No particles should 

 be allowed to lay in the aisles behind the cows to be carried into 

 the feeding aisles on the feet of the milker. No other animal 

 is more dainty about her feed than a well bred dairy cow. 



During stormy or extreme cold weather, the herd should 

 be kept in the barn excepting the time required for watering and 

 upon many first-class dairy farms, there are appliances for water- 

 ing the herd in the barn, and for days at a time the herd does not 

 taste a breath of frosty air. It is quite necessary, however, that 

 the herd should have all the freedom and sunshine possible. It 

 is not the cold that does the harm to the milk pail, it is the r:i: ns 

 and winds. The weather may be very cold, yet if it is still and 

 the sun is shining, the herd is much better off out of the barii. 



For winter run of a herd, there is nothing quite so valuable 

 as a small, hilly woods pasture. Here on most days around the 

 feeding racks, and lying on the sunny slopes of the hills, the 

 cattle will be found resting, lazy and contented. The sun's heat 



