Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1893-12-12
WINTER CARE OF DAIRY cows.


The man who shows kindness % his
stock will be Q great many dollars better
or than ono who 10 harsh and rough with
the cows, or even indifferent. This 70
not sentiment, but q practical fact, and
the writer has seen it exeinpllhed in
dairy work many tunes over. Dairy
men Who conduct their business on .
broad and thorough basis, raise their
own helfers, from calves bred on their
own farms. During the winter season,
many OF these helfers are approaching
maternity for the first time. They Will
soon become new-mllch cows, and 1t
means great deal TO the owner whether
they will become profitable property to
him or not. Now Kindness exercised
toward these gentle dumb brutes will
have great influence In making them
profitable the following summer, and
for succeeding summers. This is writ
ten from the standpoint OF experience In
this matter, not theory. IL is one thing
to give q COW only warm stable and
plenty to eat, and another and very I'm
portant matter to cultivate the good will
by kind attention. Cows like to be cur
rled, and will stop feeding any time to
enjoy the agreeable sensation OF cur
rycomb or card on their backs. An ordi-
nary OK card IL excellent to use for this
purpose, and any one can soon make
friends with q shy cow by using II
gently on her back and tanks. A daily
currying IL q means, also, of keeping the
cows In good health, besides adding to
their sleek appearance.
A truly profitable COW must be gen
tie COW, and the time to keep her 90 IL
when she Il calfor heller. Acow will
soon put confidence In man who speaks
to her gently, and pats her side or he I'd
In passing. Some dairymen tell great
deal about "breaking In" n heller to
milk, but the man Who IL already on
good terms With his heller knows no
such ordeal. lie has petted and caress-
ed the creature daily In the stable. when
feeding and caring for her, and when he
sits down to milk her for the first time,
she looks meekly around and submits to
II as matter Of course. The winter
time offers an opportunity for the
dsiryman to get thoroughly acquainted
with his cows, study their character
istics, and bring out their good points.
IL really costs less labor, money and
time to keep COW stable In good condi-
ton from December TO May than to let
Il 20 "a a mere dirty cattle shed. By
the latter Is meant the long basement
found under many q hay barn, With
dilspidated wooden doors at either end.
the cows standing or partly lying In the
frozen litter Of days accumulation.
Il Il Of no avail to pet COW In such n
place. The kindness would consist 10
tlrst making the apartment tight and
warm, cleaning out the stable daily, ana
bedding down the animals. This ts not
expensive treatment In the matter OF
time, labor or money. Care and kind
ness are the two great things that 20 to
make up the successful treatment OF
dairy stock at any time of the year, and
Ia northern latltudes, especially In WIN
ter. Besides having pleasant relations
established between these young animals
aud those who care for them, they
should undergo training preparatory TO
their future milk giving. Those VINO
care for them should handle their teats
In initiation Of the real milking that
they must soon learn to submit to. This
will do away with that so-called "break-
ing-in-to.mllk" period, which Is such a
trying ordeal to those dairymen with
shy, Wild heifers. Not only Is II mat
ter Of convenience at the start, but
quiet beginning In milking a heifer, fol.
lowed BY continued mild treatment,
means absence Of trouble through fu-
ture milkings. Animals cannot reason
but they are all amenable to kindness,
and those dairymen who display this
trait In the handling Of their cows Will
receive the greatest pecuniary reward
with the profitable milk and butter
American Agriculturist.