4 ?o 
J. M. PARKER. 
not a single precaution is observed to prevent the health of the 
dairy cow from breaking down under the strain to which it is 
subjected. Everything is made subserviant to the one sole and 
single object of getting a large milk supply. 
One would think that common sense would teach that cows 
kept for months without stirring out of tracks, is, to say the least 
of it, an unnatural condition of things. Exercise is just as neces- 
saiy for a cow as it is for the rest of the animal kingdom, yet it 
is something the dairy cow does not get. 
Everyone knows that exercise increases the flow of blood to the ' 
muscles, and, in consequence of the greater amount of waste pro¬ 
ducts canied off and the greater amount of oxygen required by 
the system, a quickening of the hearts’ action and a quickening of 
breathing result. On the other hand, when little or no exercise 
is taken, the circulation becomes sluggish ; the heart, like any 
other muscle, degenerates for want of use. The breathing be¬ 
comes shallow, and the lungs are not expanded. When any 
extra strain is put upon them they are not able to do their work, 
and we have rupture and permanent dilation of air cells, along 
with weak lungs and a predisposition to pulmonary disease. 
Exercise, on the other hand, causes an increased flow of blood 
to the lungs with an increased vitality and strength. The in¬ 
creased flow of tidal air in and out of the lungs will tend to pre¬ 
vent the slow growing tubercle bacilli finding lodgment and in 
tnis way prevent its growth and development in the lungs. 
In lefeiring to exercise, I don’t wish to be understood as ad¬ 
vocating a large field or range for the cattle to run over. I don’t 
wish to advocate anything impractical; but I do think that the 
present method of confining the dairy cattle with stanchions is 
capable of improvement. I do think they ought to be allowed 
their liberty; and, further, I do not see anything impractical in 
any such suggestions. Any condition that affects the comfort of 
the animals, must affect their well being. Every one here must 
have seen how cows will rub and scratch themselves when first 
iet out for water; often, even when thirsty, they will not touch 
the water till they have first licked themselves all over. It is 
