Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-04-09
The Philosophy Of Milking.

THE udder is divided into four parts,
entirely distinct from each other, except
as they are held together by membraneous
ligaments. The milk in each is held in
continent tubes, which, like the roots of a
tree, are all contracted into one just above
the teat: the milk entering the funnel
shaped organ by a single channel. Just
at the upper end of the teat the walls OF
this channel are contracted, and the con-
traction is surrounded by a band OF mus
cular fibres. The will of the cow can
operate on this band, contracting or ex-
banding it at pleasure, making it operate
like valve At the junction of each
smaller tube with large one is similar
contraction and band, also under the con-
troll of the will. Ordinarily these bands
are contracted las in the neck of the blad-
der, so that the milk has to crowd Its
way through them to get from the smaller
INTO the larger tubes.
This is an admirable arrangement for
sustaining the weight of the milk equally
III all parts of the udder, and preventing
1t from pressing heavily upon the teats.
When the udder is full, if the milk is
drawn out of the teats, relieving the pres
sure IN them, it requires vigorous effort
OF the will of the COW to prevent the
pressure above from crowding the milk
down to fill the vacancy. If the udder is
only partly filled, she can hold the milk
back more easily; and the less there is
IN 1t the more easily can she maintain
the tension of the muscular bands neces-
sary to prevent entirely the milk from
moving through them. When the mixer
first takes hold of the teats and begins to
milk, the excitement causes the COW to
contract the bands so firmly as to hold
back the milk perfectly for a time. But
presently this vigorous contraction will
begin to slacken, and the milk will begin
to pour through, and if all is quiet she
will relax the bands fully; when the milk
all settles down upon the teats and is
quickly drawn it can be all MIXED out
to the very last drop.
But this perfect relaxation will only
last a short time. If the milk is not soon
extracted she will begin to tighten up the
muscular bands again, and the last part
OF her mess will be held back and per-
manently retained, when the mixer prob
ably thinks he has got it all because it
stops coming. A cow should therefore
be MIXED quickly as we'll as quietly. 1t
is natural for her to part with her milk in
a few minutes, and mixer should come
as near that time as possible. If the time
of milking is much prolonged she will
become impatient and be sure not to
"give down" perfectly. The quickest
mixer gets the most and best milk be-
cause he gets all the strippings," which
are the richest part.
The more quiet and peaceable the cows
can be kept while being MIXED, the more
perfect will be the relaxation of their I'D
ders and the longer will it last. If any
thing occurs to disturb or excite or attract
their attention, the relaxation will cease
in moment and if it occurs near the
close of the milking some of the best
milk will be held back till the next milk
ing, when it will become the poor, blue
milk that is first drawn. A double loss
ensues from every such occurrence; be-
cause leaving milk in cows bag always
tends to diminish secretion.-CanGdG
Farmer