The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1890-01-16
GROOMING THE COWS.


It II Hard Work. hut II Pays Well m
More Than One Respect.
Now that winter is upon us. tho COW
has become the exclusive ward of man.
A few months ago. nature, in measure.
protected and cared for her. as she
grazed on the green hills or level lea; hut
stable, dependent entirely on tho good
offices Of her owner for maintenance
and comfort. If that owner is wise. he
will earnestly endcavor to do as well by
her in some regards as nature has done.
You and |. and probably every other
reader, have often seen, when passing
some dairy farm on winters day,
cows turned out to water. or to sun
themselves in the barn-yard, with
TANKS reeking with stable flti,. II il
Is late into the winter you will observe
that the dung from daily additions has
accumulated to the thickness of an inch
or more. and it Is SO incorporated into the
animals hair that it will not slough of
in the spring till the fur comes with it.
The condition Of mich COW thus en-
numbered is pitiable in the extreme. and
portrays an utter disregard OF care in
the owner. The animal. resting on a
wet, uncomfortable floor in the stable.
is, when outside it's portals, chilled and
bumped up by the crisp winter air.
Such is only one lesson in care. which ii
takes some farmers SO long to adopt. In
this world, property of all kinds deteri.
crates as quickly as human attention is
lacking, be that property live stock or
real estate. A dairyman being the pos.
SCISSOR of dozen cows, valued at about
$500, has that sum invested in such q
manner that he must control it's income
himself; no bank or corporation can fix
the rate Of interest.
Now, it is just exactly as easy for him
to take good care Of those animals, and
secure liberal compensation for their
maintenance. as it is to be slack in
stable management. We have men.
toned wet. filthy tanks, with their be.
gotten misery, simply as one failing in
the subject of winter care, and we desire
to call especial attention to evil results
accruiEg. Even poor stable is sup.
posed to he considerably warmer than
the atmosphere outside, and if COW is
skin-dry when she steps out Of it for a
noon recess it amounts to a good fortif.
cation against the cold. A wet, bedrag-
lgled beast, on the contrary, is thorough.
~ chilled as quickly as boreal blast
strikes her.
OF course the remedy lies in frequent
change Of bedding, and the daily use Of
curry card. Yes, just such card as
you groom oxen with, while the big
brutes stand and arch their necks in
enjoyment of the combing sensation. 10
thus groom a dozen cows will consume
O half hour daily, which will be thirty
minutes we'll spent. l like to see a
farmer who is not afraid OF spending
time in doing his chores. One who will
go out on frosty morning and labor for
the comfort and welfare OF his stock.
instead of hastily throwing them few
forksful of hay and retreating to the
warmth of kitchen fire. Too much OF
the winter care of stock is trusted to a
chore boy, who has no interest for his
employers property, and who does not
possess the Judgment of man. II you
do not perform the chore work your.
self, faithfully oversee all parts Of it,
You will find that the daily use of a
card on your cows hacks. coupled with
abundant dry bedding, will keep their
hides sleek and clean and hair free
from manure. The currying is relished
by the creatures. too, and will make
them gentle and docile. DO not laugh
at the idea as absurd, for it surely makes
cows comfortable, and keeps them
clearly, which results are attributes Of
intelligent care.-George Z. Newell, in
Dairy World.