Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-07-19
FARM AND HOME.
Management of Cows I'm Summer.

Il
ard perhaps some farmers. TO be told
that NIX in this season from cows in
full feed of fresh grass is often impure.
Every mill<man who has not learned
TO change his cows gradually from dry
to green feed will know what we mean.
The foul odors from milk kept in close
cans for several hours are well known
to them, though their cause may be
unsupported, The reason is that i'm
early spring cows eat so greedily OF
soft, innutritious heritage that even
when rot injured themselves by ex-
cessive bloating their stomachs are
naturally distended, until cleared by
securing excavations having a very
the milk. 1t is SO readily absorbent of
every odor that the foul-smelling ex-
crement cannot fail to make it offensive
The remedy for this is, if possible
to avoid it, never to milk in the stable.
Unless storms prevent, milking should
be done in some place well bedded with
straw, and where there are no accumu-
lations OF fresh eXcrement Then make
the change from dry TO green feed
gradual, or, better still, continue some
dry feed to the cows as long as they
will eat il. A milkman who had been
troubled with foul milk has since
learned 10 obviate this difficulty by
turning his cows to grass only two or
three hours day at first, aud then put
ting in the yard and giving dry feed
several hours before N liking. Before
he adopted this plan he came near los
ing all his customers. In the pail
there would be nothing offensive in the
smell from the milk but after shutting
it close in can for a few hours it be-
came so strong that he could scarcely
bear its cd or.
Many cows have the habit OF beg in
ming to void liquid or solid excrement
with the first attempt to milk. In such
case odors, often exceedingly foul, will
be diffused through the air, and if
milking is continued lie these odors
are arising the milk will inevitably be
affected by them. Some fine earth or
land plaster should be near and be
sprinkled over the eXcrement before
the milking is resumed. This is more
necessary TO insure cleanliness than
the oft-repeated exhortations to thor
oughly clean the teats and udders be-
fore milking is commenced. Often
when this is attempted the washing is
only half done, and more odors are
liberated than removed. 1t is easy for
"A careful mixer to prevent getting dirt
in the milk pail; but when the air in
the stable is filed with the odors OF
manure or urine it is almost impossi-
BILE that the milk shall not be contami-
mated.
1t is certain that in many cases the
bad quality Of butter and especially its
inability to keep well. are traceable
directly to impurities in the milk.
Butter is nearly or quite as absorptive
OF odors as milk. 1t is in the butter
globules that the bad odors in the milk
find their hiding place, and they follow
through all its transformation into the
cream pot and the butter bowl. The
skim-milk which we feed to the calves
or pigs is comparatively pure.
a mich COW yields many times her
own weight in milk during the year,
besides the production yearly OF a calf.
1t is only reasonable that she should
have an abundance OF nutritious food
to sustain this severe strain. Milk is
one of the most nutritious foods known,
containing all the elements necessary
10 sustain life and growth. 1t is not
policy to force milk production by ex-
elusive use of watery and innutritious
food In city dairies COWS are often
fed on brewers grains. the refuse left
from making beer, and these sour Stops,
though very profitable for milk produc-
ton, leave the cow in such poor condi-
ton that after one or two years her
constitution becomes impaired aud she
is turned aside as worthless. Even in
the country milch cows often become
poor on the best pasture through eX-
ces i've stimulation of the milk secre-
ton. Ensilage in winter, if fed with
out grain or other dry feeds may be
liable to the same objection.
One OF the advant ges OF soiling is
tina, it is possible to combine green
and dry food in the right proportions,
which cows at pasture seldom or new
err secure. 1t is not certain that coarse
grains can not be produced so cheaply
that for the nutriment afforded they
will be less expensive than the tradi-
tional clover and grass. In most OF
the older states, where small pasture
area exists, cows can be kept during
the winter for less cost than in sum-
mer aud this, too, despite the extra
feed required in winter to maintain
animal heat-Praciical Farmer.
Our RainIess Lands,
The extent OF our territory called
] ,.oin1ess and It's vast papSbilitV IL irri-