Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-06-23
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD


HuGH r. Books disoourses as follows
upon this subject in the Western Stock
Journal.
Butter, cheese, milk, and meat form q
very large space in the most important
department of sublunary affairs, and their
full and cheap supply depends essentially
On the proper management of cows
To begin at the beginning, every house
holder should feel An irrepressible interest
in the propagation and perpetuation of
good milking animals. No person has q
Moonlight TO own or possess good COW
except " for the purposes therein set
forth" viz: the largest supply of good
milk, and the increase of her species
these legitimate ends we are bound to
seek.
First, by breeding from milking families
-scrupulously rejecting all males and
females not descended from good milking
stock.
Second, by providing young animals
with q suficiency of the right kind of
nutriment. The milk vessels are developed
by nutritious and succulent food, which
should be literally supplied from the very
start.
A calf that maintains precar:ous exist
ence on poor hay and straw, and grows
up without care or carrots, can scarcely
make good COW, even If it has good an
cestors, and is well treated in after life.
There is no place for neglect in the milk
business All things require to be trained
and developed for their proper sphere.
| Third, docility and good behavior are
essential characteristics Of . good cow
they are secured by kindness and famil-
iarity. Farmers should never neglect
their calves, as they do their own families,
unless they are willing to have them
grow up wild and ungovernabie. Cuiti-
vate in all these cases constant and kindly
relations from the very beginning.
Fourth, guard against drouth in sum.
curing early good quantity of bran or
apples, and well preserved corn fodder,
are peculiarly adapted to the production
of milk.
Fifth, cut your hay early! Woody fiber
is q good thing in its place, or it never
would have been sent, but no orthodox
man has any right to believe that it is
much adapted to dairy purposes. Cut
your hay Just as the blossoms fall. Keep
It snug every night--no rains and no dew
upon It. Be sure and dry it enough 30
that it will keep perfectly sweet, without
must, and be sure and not dry it any
more than is necessary.
Sixth, unless q COW is remarkably
good breeder, let her go farrow, feed her
high, and milk her through the winter,
and sell her to the butcher; do this as
soon as she begins to fail, and while she
is profitable to feed for beef
Seventh, consider good supply of good
milk as necessary of life, and never be
without it. Milk can be secured by hav.
ing q cow come in late in summer, or by
having one-it would be the poorest-go
farrOw, and then 60 to the shambles.
Eighth, deformity and butter are not
inseparable companions. You may have
q good looking COW that will fill your pail
quite as well as the historical "brindle
COW with crumple horn,'' crooked leg,
shaggy coat, fat rib, sloping rump, and r.
repressible back bone.
You may breed quite successfully for
beef purposes, while you secure a good
supply Of most excellent milk.
Ninth, let everything be done decently,
cleanly, and regularly.
Tenth, provide good, warm, well VENT.
lated stables, and never omit to groom
and bed your animals