The union Democrat., 1870-03-05
Gle Nninn 9emurrat.
Drying Cow. OF their Milk.

As in most other things, there is crea.
variety of opinion as to the best time of dry-
ing a cow of her milk. Many farmers con.
tend that COW should be allowed to Weld
milk up to within week or two of the time
when she is expected to calve, and thew do 50
on the grounds of their having triel the ex.
pertinent and found it to work very wei, ;
whereas others are inclined to think that two
or three months should elapse between the
time when che is dried of her milk aud when
she calves. We are uf opinion that the lar
ter is the more sensible course; 4; for, although
we may act upon the first plan, there is eyi-
dent risk, and it is perfectly clear that, If
persisted in, the constitution of some cows
would no, be sufficiently strong to stand Il.
and loss to the farmer would be the result
We are aware tha. the constitution of the
cow is very similar to that of the human spe-
cies. and SO far from draining from her what
should 90 10 recuperate and build up the
frame of her offspring, strict attention should
he paid TO see that she gets strong and nour-
ish;ng food.
1t Is false economy which induces farm
ersto milk, as it were up to the last moment,
Tor IL is again Sufficiently clear that the quail
~ Of milk given cannot be equally good.
Cows over-tasked and weakened, yield milk
OF a poorer quality than when in vigorous
health, and at the same time are more liable
10 fall into any disease which may be lurk-
ing about the place. For instance, the foot
and mouth disease and o-pneumoria
present 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 at
tention Of dairymen, is. that they should pro-
vide food sufficiently nourish;ng to uphold
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 re-
quire something more than hay (which food
ia generally given only,) and nm additional
feed of ground grain (oat and corn meal
mixed) should be commenced to be given in
the fall of the year, or, at least, as soon as
grass begins to depreciate in its nutritive
quality.
Cows, whether in milk or dry, ought net
to be allowed to fall off in flesh lato in the
fall or at the commencement ofwinter. 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 always less expensive to
get stock in condition during warm weather
or befnre winter sets in, and it is, therefore,
very ponr economy to allow deep mixers to
run down thin late in the fall, as it often en-
tails good deal of careful nursing oil 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 tho milk be drawn
from the udder at anyone 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 the milk left in
the udder becomes thick and putrid, causing
irritation and Inflammation, and not unfre-
qucntly results in the loss of teat or por-
tion of the bag the next season.
When cows are being dried off they should
be examined every few days, and their udders
completely emptied of all accumulated milk
and with cows supposed to be dry, their tea,s
should be tried at least once n week all win
ter. to see if there is any accumulation of
milk. We nave had serious losses ourselves
from trusting to hired help in this matter,
and taking it for granted that it lad been
properly attended to. There is no safety un-
less the work is done under your own eye,
or an examination made with your own
hand Scottish Farmer.