The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1885-01-17
MILKING.
Regularity, Kindness and Cleanliness of
the Utmost Importance.

Regularity, Kindness and Cleanliness of
the Utmost Importance.
1t is not every dairyman who knows
how to milk-some can not and others
will not learn. Vast numbers of good
cows are ruined every year by careless
ness, by neglect and by brutality of
mixers. The manner OF milking and
the circumstances connected Herewith
are not fully understood. or, if under
stood, not fully appreciated by dairy
men. / heard two farmers recently
comparing the yield of milk from their
~espective herds for the past season.
The receipts of one were about third
more than those of the other. and the
latter said: Il cannot understand this;
my feed, my water supply and my COWS
are as good as yours The reply was:
Eyes; but when my mixers go to milk
they understand that it means business.
| won't have poor mixer around at
any price, and | talk this over when
hire him, and he understands what
| will have 1t was evident the subject
had value which carried conviction.
The Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals would do well to
give some attention to the manner in
which COWS are MIXED in some diaries,
for / am of opinion that an investiga-
ton in this direction is much ne eded,
and would promote the welfare of the
public. Some suggestions in regard to
milking will be the more seryiceable
because persons unaceustomed to the
care of dairy stock often fall into serious
trouble and loss which timely sugges-
ton would perhaps obviate.
The first thing to be observed by
.milkers is extreme kindness to dairy
stock; no loud talking or rough
treatment of any kind should be al
lowed while milking. The animal
should become well acquainted with
its mixer; should be made to feel a
sons good intentions, so as to be kept
as quiet and free from excitement as
possible. This is best effected by pet
ting the COW, handling her gently and
speaking in low, kind, CHEEKY tones.
Cows that are frightened, that are
kicked and beaten for every misstep
they make while being MIXED, fall OF
greatly in their yield of milk, and their
milk frequently is rendered unwhole-
some. The changes which milk UNDER
goes under such circumstances have
not been fully explained, though, as a
physiological fact, the unwholcsome-
ness of such milk has been observed
and made record of by the medical pro-
fession. 1t should be borne in mind,
therefore, that anything which frets,
disturbs, torments or renders the COW
uneasy, lessons the quantity and vitiates
the quality of the milk.
The quantity 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 the
time of milking should be carefully at
| tended to, and not subject to variation
| from day to day. The udder should be
brushed, and in case of any dirt on it
should be cleansed by washing with a
cloth and water. For if the cow has
been driven through muddy places and
| thus become besmeared, any dirt acct
dentally falling in the pail will commu-
nicate its faint to the milk. Wetting
the hands and teats with milk before
milking is very bad practice. This
should always be avoided, both for the
comfort of the animal and the, cleanli-
ness of the milk. The mixer should
have short finger-nails, for long nails
will be sure to hurt the teat and cause
irritation of the COW. There are two
methods of milking-the one may be
called stripping or catching the teat
between the finger and thumb and
stripping down the whole length of the
teat. This plan is not to be recon-
mended. The better way is to grasp
the teats, one in each hand, diagonally
| across the bag and press on the milk
the second. third and fourth fingers
doing the main work, while the upper
portion of the hand and first finger pre-
vents the milk from returning 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 Welding
the most milk, from eleven to twelve
cows per hour will be about the rate for
competent hand.
A slow, dilatory mixer makes great
| loss in the yield of milk, except perhaps,
/ when cows are going dry at the end OF
I the season. AS the last drawn milk is
VIC llCHCot III DutueI, SIcdb care SuOulu
be taken that all the milk in the udder
be drawn, and this is important, not
only on account of the value of such
milk, but because the habit of leaving
a part of the milk undrawn has ten
dency to dry up the COW and weaken
her capacity for yielding full flow of
milk another season. To be a good
mixer is an accomplishment which
. some persons can never attain. 1t re-
quires muscular hand, honesty or con-
scientious integrity in discharge of du-
ties, good nature OF complete control OF
temper, at least while milking, and a
scrnpulous regard to cleanliness. I'm
less perfectly trusty hands can be en-
ployed in milking, the dairyman should
give personal attention to the milking,
and if he does not milk himself he
should see to it that those in his employ
perform the work properly in every par
ticular; for it is upon the manner in
which this work is performed that his
profits from the dairy will be regulated
4 -one blow on the spine with milking
stool in the hands of passionate. iii
tempered man, or kick on the udder
may ruin COW forever. - CGnadias
Stool breeder.