170 



Hegelund Method of Milking. 



[JUNE, 



The Hegelund method of milking attracted considerable 

 attention on the Continent and elsewhere a few years ago, and 

 a detailed account of the system appeared 



^M^fi U ^ * n t ^ lls J ourna 'l m J une > 1903 (Vol. X., p. 65). 



quality of the milk, and that it has a beneficial influence on 

 the dairy qualities of the cows so milked. Several experiments* 

 have been made with a view of testing the matter, the results 

 of which, however, are not entirely in agreement. Professor 

 Henkel carried out a trial with thirty-seven cows at Weihen- 

 stephan, which was considered to show that the Hegelund 

 method increased the average yield of milk per cow by 3*4 per 

 cent., while the percentage of fat in the milk was raised by 

 12 per cent. In some experiments at Allgan, the conclusions 

 arrived at were that the method conduced to (1) cleanliness, (2) 

 .to proper milking, so that the cows gave their milk willingly, 

 and (3) to thorough stripping, whereby diseases of the udder were 

 avoided, or, at any rate, were more easily cured ; that more and 

 richer milk was obtained, the animals being stimulated to an 

 increased yield, and it was suggested that the productivity thus 

 acquired might become hereditary. 



At the Danish Experimental Laboratory it was concluded 

 that there was probably no change in the fat-content of the 

 milk, although a small quantity extra of specially rich milk 

 was obtained ; this was only done at the cost of the following 

 milking, so that the total percentage did not change. There were 

 indications, however, that the total quantity of milk was rather 

 greater, but it was pointed out that the new method demanded 

 greater care and skill than was usually given, and that probably 

 as good results would be obtained with the ordinary method 

 if the same care and skill were applied. These views met 

 with great opposition among practical Danish agriculturists, 

 by whom it is considered that the " massage " of the udder 

 involved in the Hegelund method causes the cow to give a 

 greater and certainly a richer yield of milk. Results obtained 

 at the Experimental Dairy at Hoorn, in Holland, point, how- 

 ever, to the same conclusion as that referred to above, viz., that 



Method 

 of Milking 5 . 



It is claimed for this method that it in- 

 creases the production and improves the 



* Deutsche Land. Presse. 1904 : Nos. 16, 34 and 42. 1905 : No. 26. 



