Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1872-02-08
Effects of Cold, etc, on Mich
Cows.

There is probably no one Of the
farm economies to which so
little attention is given by the ordi-
nary farmer, and indeed by many dai
rymen, as the proper conditions nee
essary to the we'll being of farm stock,
particularly in winter, and especially
to the sensitive period when cove are
i'll milk. The Journal of Chemistry
makes these sensible remarks upon
this subject:
The extreme sensitiveness of the
mammary functions in COWS to the in
fluences of cold, fatigue, excitement,
unpleasant odors, etc, is indeed sur
prising. We have been greatly inter
ested in observing the effects of cold
upon the milk secretion as seen in the
herd of COWS upon the farm. During
the past summer, in the hot days in
July and August, the animals resorted
to the lake to drink, and after shaking
their thirst, they would " wade into the
water and remain sometimes an hour
or two with the legs half immersed
This habit it was found invariable Iii
minishcd the flow of milk at night,
and in order to learn the extent Of the
diminuti0n, careful observations were
made. It was ascertained that stand
ing in the water an hour, diminished
the flow to the amount of eight or ten
quarts in q herd of thirteen cows. The
loss was so great that whenever they
resorted to the water they were driv-
en- away to the pasture again at once.
We have learned that from simply
turning the herd into the yard upon a
cold day IN Winter, and allowing them
to remain fifteen minutes, the flow of
milk was diminished to serious eX-
tent, and consequently the animals are
not now allowed to leave the warm
stable during the entire Winter, eX-
cept for a brief period upon warm,
sunshiny days.
Water is brought directly from a
we'll into the barn, and the drinking
vessels are arranged so that the ami
mails have to move but q step or two
to supply their wants. The nature of
the water supply and the convenien-
ces of access are most important
points in the management of milch
COWS. A draught of ice-cold water in
Winter, cuts short the milk yield for
GtlC AGtN ii jill OEG W bHO EJllllS- W Gil
water drawn into vessels and allowed
to stand a few hours covered, in the
warm barn, has its temperature raised
several degrees. and this practice
should be adopted by all thrifty farm
ers. 1t would undoubtedly pay wei
to slightly warm the water, but this is
attended with considerable incOnYen
fence where large herds are kept, an
less steam apparatus is used. The il
fluence of a cold current of air ant
cold drinking water upon COWS il
: milk is not of transient nature;
extends for a longer period than
! day or q week. Many fne animal
+ are ruined by careless exposure ever
s year, and self interest and feelings c
e humanity should prompt all COW OWL
e ers to keep dilligent watch over thei
p welfare and comfort.
[ Cows in milk are often greatly il
t iured by rapid driving from pastul
l by needless boys and unthinking mel
It They should never be urged fastt
Il than walk. Gentleness and kint
It ness of conduct towards COWS have
" wonderful influence upon the mill
e pail, and also upon the progency
a the animals. A bad tempered, irasc
It BILE, man ought never to be allowed
s COW stable. A man who will kick
COW in passion, ought himself to
2, kicked into the barn yard, and foreve
e prohibited from again coming int
n contact with the noble animal. III
:, right person placed in charge ofa hel
L Of twenty COWS, which have been baC
e ly managed, will in one month raj:
d the lacteal products so that the i
creased cash returns will pay h
wages. This statement has been We
fled more than once.