Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1881-01-20
Cows Resisting Milking.


MIXED, and the kicks, knocks and tall
language which they receive for their
restlessness only render them the more
fretful, If they cannot be overcome by
kindness, thumps and emphatic lam
guage will never make them better.
But the fact is, restless habits were en-
gendered in them by the treatment they
received after their first calVing, when,
most probably, they were drago0ned
into submission. Udders and teats are
very tender Immediately after calving,
and especially after the first calying;
and when llnfeeling horny hands tug
the teats in stripping, as if they had
been accustomed to the operation for
years, no wonder that the young and
inexperienced COW should vince under
the inhiction, and attempt to get quit of
her tormentor by kicking. Can the
creature be otherwise than uneasy, and
how can she escape the pain but by
striking out heelP A rope. is then
placed on the hind fetlocks to keep the
heels down. The tail is then employed
by her as an instrument of annoyance
to the mixer, which is then held by
some one while the milkingls going on,
or is tied to the creatures leg by the
hair of the tuft. Add to this the many
threats and scolds uttered by themilker,
and faint idea Of how a young heifer is
broke in into milkingm may be conceived.
Some COWS are naturally unaccQmmo-
dating and provoking; but, neVerthe-
less, nothing but gentleness toward
them wal ever render them less so.
Some COWS are only troublesome to milk
for few times after calving, and soon
become quiet; others kick pertinacious-
ly at the first milking. In the last case
the surest plan is for the mixer, while
standing on his feet, to place his head
against the flank of the COW, stretch his
hand forward, get hold of the teats the
best way he can, and let the milk fall
to the ground, and in this position it is
out of the power of the cow to hurt
him. Such ebullitions Of feeling, at the
first milking after calving, arise either
from feeling pain in tender state of
the teat-most probably from indam-
nation in the lining membrane of the
receptacle; or simply from Utilization of
the skin of the udder and teat, which
becomes more sensitive as the heat in
creases; or the udder, being still hard,
gives pain when first touched and
should the udder be difficult to soften,
it is best to allow the calf to suck at
least three times a day until the udder
becomes soft. This will doubtless re-
lieve the udder, but it will cause an
other species of restlessness in the COW
when the calf is taken from her. Still,
rather let the mixer suffer some incon-
venlenee than the udder of the COW be
injured.
Be the cause of irritation what it may,
one thing isv certain. that gentle and
persevering discipline will overcome
the most turbulent temper in COW.
Milking affords different degrees of
pleasure to different cows One yields
its milk with copious flow, with the
gentlest handling; another requires
great exertion to draw the milk in
streams no larger than threads The
udder of the gentle one will generally
be found to have soft skin, and short !
teats like velvet; while that of the har-
dened one has thick skin, and the
teats long and tough, like tanned |
leather. .-PrGirie Farmer.