The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-02-17
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD
Drying Cows Of their Milk.

AS in most other things, there is great
variety of opinion as to the best time of
drying a cow of her milk. Many farmers
contend that COW should be allowed to
yield milk up to within a week or two of
the time when she is expected to calve,
and they do SO on the grounds OF their
having tried the experiment and found 1t
to work very well whereas others are in
clined to think that two or three months
should elapSe between the time when she
is dried of her milk and when she calves.
We are Of opinion that the latter is the
more sensible course for, although we
may act upon the first plan, there is EVIL.
dent risk, and it is perfectly clear that, ii
persisted in, the constitution OF some
cows would not be sufficiently strong to
stand it, and a loss to the farmer would be
the result. We are aware that the con-
stitutiOn OF the COW is very similar to that
of the human species, and far from
draining from her what should go to re-
cuperate and build up the frame of her
offspring, strict attention should be paid to
see that she gets strong and nOurIshlng
food.
1t is a false economy which induces farm
ers to milk, as it were up to the last mo-
ment, for it is again sufficiently clear that
the quality of milk given cannot be equal
ly good. Cows Over-tasked and weaken
ed, yield milk of poorer quality than
when in vigorous health and at the same
time are more liable to fall into any dis
ease which may be lurking about the
place. For instance, the foot and m outh
disease and pleurO-pneumOnia present q
formidable appearance to those cows in
the condition we have just described, and
owners may thank their stars if their
stock escape untouched. What we would
particularly enforce, however, upon the
attention OF dairymen, is, that they should
provide food sufficiently nourishing to up
hold the constitution of those of their
COWS that are inclined to give milk all the
year round, and are difficult to be dried
off. Such animals require something more
than hay (Which food is generally given
only, and an additional feed of ground
grain (Oat and corn meal mixed) should
be commenced to be given in the fall of
the ar, or, at least, as soon as grass be-
gins II depreciate in it's nutritive quality.
Cows, whether in milk or dry, ought
not to be allowed to fall off in flesh late in
the fall or at the commencement of win
ter. Thin cows are more sensitive to cold
and require more food for their winter
keep than they do when commencing the
season with good coat of flesh. 1t is al
ways less expensive to get stock in con
dition during warm weather or before win
ter sets in, and it is, therefore, very poor
economy to allow deep mixers to run
down thin late in the fall, as it often en-
tails good deal of careful nursing all the
winter through, in order TO bring the ami
mails safely over to grass.
In drying cows of their milk, attention
should be given that all the milk be drawr
from the udder at any one milking. Some
are in the habit of only partially drawing
the milk from time to time when drying
off cows. 1t is not good practice, as thu
milk left in the udder becomes thick ant
putrid, causing irritation and inflammation
and not unfrequently results in the loss o
a teat or a portion Of the bag the mex
season.
When COWS are being dried off the,
should be examined every few days, AM
their udders completely empted of all &C
cumulated milk; and with COWS SuppOset
to be dry, their teGts should be tried a
least once week all winter, to see if Their
Is any accumulation of milk We hav
had serious losses ourselves from trustin
to hired help in this matter, and taking
for granted that it had been properly a.
tended to- There is no safety unless tt
work is done under your own eye, or a
examination made with your own hand
Scottish Farmer.