Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-01-26
Drying off Cows.

More cows are spoiled in drying of, thar
in any other way Not only are they apt :,
have one or more quarters Of the udds
ruined in this process, when carelessly con
ducted but even when this is avoided, thu
foundation may be laid for subsequent at
tacks Of garget, and the milk-producinG
power be permanently diminished.
We lay it down as principle, that at no
time should painful distension of the uddef
be allowed. IL is as cruel as IL is unwise
and as unvise as il is cruel. This is true
both before and after calying When in
full flow, COW ought TO be MIXED as often
as her bag is full, If it is four times a day
And, in fact, the highest dairy results, can.
not he reached, nor the best dairy cows fully
utilized, under the twice-a-day system OF
milking during the full flush Of milk. This
truth will, we are convinced, soon force itself
upon the minds Of onr best dairymen.
But, while il is damaging TO let fresh
COW carry for hours an over-distended udder,
It is not so hurtful as 10 allow similar pres
sure to continue, often for several days, dur
ing the time of drying off. At this time a
cows bag is not so soft aud distensible as
after calving. The pressure is, therefore,
greater when IL appears to be less; aud we
are apt to be misled by Appearances, until dan
gerous congestion, and even inflammation,
has been set upin the tissues Of the udder, and
hard Jumps left which may not be scattered
by bathing, friction, or any medical aid, in.
ternal or external. When the COW calves,
these Jumps form csnters in which, with the
renewed activity Of circulation in the organ,
Inflammation is speedily renewed, and this
often goes on to suppuration, and extensive
destruction Of the parts involved.
As the time approaches for drying of
(Which ought 10 be at least six weeks, and
better two months before calving), all food
calculated TO stimulate the production OF
milk ought to be withheld as bran
shorts, and large feeds Of roots--and good
sound old hay be made the basis of the ra
ton, with a moderate quantity Of corn meal
il the COW is very poor-which, however, she
ought not TO be, if she has been properly fec
before. Begin to dry off by milking ONLY
once day, and as the flow diminishes, every
other day. When the flow becomes so SINAI
that it does not pay to milk longer for profit
comes the time when, in careless hands, mis-
chief is most imminent, especially with thu
better class of cows, which dry off with diff
fculty. Tho milk ought not to be left NOR
than two days undrawn so long as any is sc
GREETED, and contrary 10 a prevalent notion
we believe it is always better to entirel
empty the bag, rather than TO leave POI
ton, under the idea that it would hurry u
the process And it is well 10 examine tn
udder of all the cows every day, to see tina
no hard Jumps are forming, since these har
Jumps are the spots where trouble will be
gin after calving. Taken in time, they ma
often be dispersed by friction, either dry Q
with glycerine, which is far better for tn
purpose than any watery or greasy applies
ton. A dose of from half pound to apoun
EPSON salts, with a large spoonful of cir
ger, mixed in enough bran to disguise tn
taste, may bs necessary or a Tablespoonful
of fnely-powdered saltpstre may be trisC
and repeated daily, if other treatment doe
not dispense the lump. In all such cases, a
ounce of prevention is worth many pound
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