Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-08-31
Milking.
Willard. in Rural New Yorker.

The first point TO be observed ny
mixers is extreme kindness to dairy
stock-ho loud talking or rough
treatment Of any kind should be al
lowed while milking. The animal
should become well acquainted with
its milker; should be made to feel
perfect trust and confidence in this
PERSONS good intention, so as to be
kept as quiet and free from excite
ment as possible. This is best effect
ed by petting the COW, handling her
gently and speaking in low, kind,
CHEEKY tones. Cows that are fright
ened, that are kicked and beaten for
every misstep they make while being
MIXED, not only fall off greatly in
their yield of milk, but their milk is
rendered unwholesome and often so
much SO as TO cause disease and death
to persons partaking Of it. The
changes which milk undergoes under
such circumstances have not been
fully explained, though as a physio-
| logical fact the uhwholesomeness of
such milk has been long observed,
and made record of, by the medical
profession. 1t should be borne in
mind, therefore, that anything which
frets, disturbs, torments, or renders
I the COW uneasy, lessons the quantity
land vitiates the quality of her milk.
\ The quality of milk that a COW
gives depends much upon the mode,
time and regularity of milking. Cows
do best that have one regular mixer,
and Me time Of milking should be
carefully attended to and not be sub
jected tp variations from day to day
The bag should be brushed of any
loose hairs, and in case of any dirt on
the udder it should be cleansed bg
washing with a cloth and fresh water.
For If the COW has been driven
through any muddy places and thus
become smeared, any dirt accidental
ly falling in the pail will communi-
cate its taint to the milk. The prac-
tice of wetting the hands and teats
with milk before milking is a very
vicious practice. This should always
be avoided, both for the comfort of
; the animal and the cleanliness of the
milk. The milker should have short
finger nails, for long nails will be sure
to hurt the teat and cause irritation
to the COW. There are two methods
OF milking-the one may be called
stripping, or catching the teat be-
tween the finger and thumb and strip
ping down the whole length of the
teat. This plan is not to be recon-
mended. The better way is to grasp
G the teats, one in each hand, diagon-
ally across the bag, and press out the
milk-the second, third and fourth
fingers doing the main work, while
the upper portion of the hand and
first finger prevent the milk from re-
turning to the udder; the milk should
: be drawn rapidly. and the udder
completely emptied of its contents.
In the flush of the season, or when
COWS are yielding the most milk, from
] to II COWS per hour will be about
= the rate for competent hand. A
slow. dlatory mixer makes q great
loss in the yield of milk and if posi-
bic ought never be allowed to milk.
except, perhaps, when COWS are going
dry at the end of the season. AS the
b. last drawn milk is the richest in but
| ter, great care should be taken that
all the milk in the udder be drawn.
} and this is important, not only on ac-
count Of the value of such milk. but
because the habit of leaving a part
of the milk undrawn has a tendency
to dry up the cow and weaken her
| capacity for yielding a full flow of
milk another season.
To he good mixer is an accom-
. plishment which some persons can
never attain. 1t requires muscular
9 hand, honesty, or conscientious in
tegrity in the discharge of duties,