182 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Sepr., 1902. 
them kindly, talk pleasantly to them, and they will readily respond to such 
treatment. 
I think I had better give you some instructions in sheltering and feeding 
your cows before saying anything further about milking. 
In the old country the utmost attention is paid to the comfort of both 
cows and steers, and this is absolutely necessary in Europe, where severe 
winters and heavy rains, snow, sleet, and cold cutting east winds occur. 
The Australian farmer for many years took no care of his cows, winter or 
summer. Rarely was any shelter provided for them, and they lived or starved 
in open paddocks all the year round. Times have changed, however, and most 
farmers are now alive to the fact that we have seasons in Australia equally 
injurious to dairy cows as the European and American winters. I need only 
mention the frequency of cold westerly winds in winter, the often long- 
continued rains, accompanied by cold cutting winds, whilst the paddocks are 
a sodden mass of mud and water. How could the poor animals be expected to 
show well in the milking-yard after being exposed night after night to such 
weather. Eyen during the warm weather cattle like to stand or lie under the 
shade of the trees, yet thousands of well-bred cows spend the whole day in a 
treeless paddock without any shelter at all. This is the height of inhumanity. 
Shelter should always be provided for two reasons. One is, because it pays to 
keep the animals comfortable ; the other is that it is humane to care for them. 
Unlike wild cattle, wild beasts, and birds, who are free to find sheltered spots 
well known to them, the domesticated cattle are simply poor helpless brutes 
depending on their owners for little comforts which are too often withheld. 
There is no need to start by putting up expensive sawn timber sheds, for 
bush timber will answer the purpose perfectly well. A few rough posts, 
plates, and ties with saplings laid across, and these covered with green bushes, 
and these again overlaid with a foot or so of bush grass or old hay, will make 
a grateful shade for them in summer, and for the winter the sides might be pro- 
tected by slabs. Here the cattle could also be fed. Another and more securely 
built shed with shingled or iron roof would be required for the milking-shed. 
Now as to feeding and feeding for milk. Feeding must be done regularly, 
at regular hours. ‘The fodder must be supplied with judgment. Some people 
carry a great bundle of lucerne or green corn to a stockyard holding perhaps 
a dozen cows, This is pitched down among the animals, whether the yard be 
inches deep in mud or inches deep in dust and manure. They struggle and 
fight for the food, much of which is trampled into the dirt, whilst the stronger 
beasts drive off the weaker, who thus do not get a fair share. 
You cannot expect even a good animal to develop her full milking capacity 
from poor feeding. !he proper way is to give food until the full milking 
capacity is attained, and this is done by gradually increasing the quantity until 
the cow has reached its highest standard. Always feed after milking, and give 
no more food than the animal can consume. 
There are very many kinds of natural and artificial fodders which are milk- 
producing. You need not be told the chemical constituents of these. If you 
are curious on that point, there are plenty of books to be got which will 
interest you. Grow fodders which are the most suitable for the soil you farm, 
such as maize, oats, barley, rye, mangels, setaria, lucerne, &c. On these your 
stock, if well managed, will thrive. If you feed with silage, a cow will 
require from 40 to 45 lb. daily, 30 1b. of lucerne, 30 Ib. oaten hay, or 70 1b. of 
_ green maize, barley, rye, or wheat ‘hat is a fair day’s ration fora cow. A 
sufficient supply of salt should always be given to milch cows. Place the salt 
under cover oe the weather, and where the cattle can get at it easily. Cows 
allowed to go without salt for four or five days will fall off from 2 to 3 per 
cent. in quantity of milk. 
The next important thing for you to learn is: How to milk. The first 
principle in the art of milking is to milk the udder perfectly dry. This will 
cause a greater flow of blood to the udder, and itis from the blood that the 
development of more material for milk-forming is to be sought. I have already 
