The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-01-22
Cows Resisting Milking.

Cows ARE often troublesome on being
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 Ian
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 dragooned
into submission. Udders and teats are
very tender Immediately after calving,
and especially after the first calving;
and when unfeeling 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 intliction, 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 a heel? 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 milking is 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 the mixer,
and faint idea of how young heller is
broke in into milking may be conceived.
Some cows are naturally unaccommo-
dating and provoking; but, neverthe-
less, nothing but gentleness toward
them will 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
stand i1g{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.s Such ebullitions of feeling, at the
firstlmilking after calving, arise either
from feeling pain in tender state of
the teat-most probably from intlam-
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 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 letfthe mixer sufer!some incon-
venIence than the udder of the COW be
injured. f., ,,.,,.
BE the cause of Irritation what it may,
one thing is certain. that gentle and
persevering discipline will overcome
the most turbulent temper in a cow
Milking affords different degrees of
pleasure to different COWS. One Yields
its milk with q copious iow,. 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-
idened one has a thick skin, and the
teats long and tough, ike tanned
leather. 4 Prairie Ffwnaer, a..
st No, marm," said the shoe deal
er: al would like to give you a smaller
pair, but to sell you anything below
Fights would render me liable under the
statute for prevention OF cruelty to ami
mails"
-"Bring inBheroasted chestnuts be-
fore the lamps are lighted, advises
domestic exchange. That's right.
We We always noticed that it was
safer to cat chestnuts in the dark.
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