ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. ^g 



Q. Yes sir. 



A. They don't kick me, and a man asked me that guestion onceu. 

 Suppsoe she should kick the hired man." I told him just what would 

 happen. That hired man would leave my premises just as quickly as he 

 could get out of the way. No men can milk my cows that the cows hate? 

 so badly that they kick them. You may think that is pretty strong, but 

 the man has got to like the cows. If they cannot be conquered by kindr 

 ness they can't by harshness. They should be treated like human beingSv 



The most particular time is when the heifer comes in with her first 

 calf. Many a good heifer, well bred and well fed, has been spoiled th.e 

 first year. I will tell you how I have done. Some cows are so stolid 

 that it makes no difference, but they are not worth anything anyhow> 

 I will tell you how my way of doing is. I am going to have that heifer 

 in a box stall and keep her tame and gentle. Some morning go and 

 find a calf there. That heifer will look at the calf and then look up at 

 you. She is trying to say, "Don't you hurt my baby." After a little 

 soothing she gets over that. I give her half a pail full of warm water and 

 I have the box stall with a board seven or eight inches from the bottom 

 then another board six or eight inches above that, and so on. I go over 

 in the stall and quietly push the calf under the bottom board. I am not 

 going to let her have the calf any longer than possible. Now then, her 

 calf is just outside. While she is looking at the calf I am petting her^ 

 and pretty soon I take hold of the udder, and she hardly knows whether 

 I am her calf or the other fellow, and that is the way it goes, and I man- 

 age to take the place of the calf in the affection of the cow, and the 

 calf is right outside and I can take the calf away and she gives down 

 her milk just as well as before she had the calf. 



One time I had a heifer, and thought it would be very nice and called 

 her Brownie. But I didn't manage just right with her. I let her have 

 her calf for three days, and when I took the calf away she didn't give 

 down freely. I thought my lady would be ready next time. The next 

 milking was the same thing. I had to let her have her calf. The calf 

 took one side and we went in partnership. I thought we could join 



