Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-12-07
COW COMFORTS

eeoded for this department % HkxRY d. HAn-
soxD, ArscakarAl Ediscr oxford DenocraA
PAriA. Ne.
COW COMFORTS.
10 needs little observation and INQUIRY
TO convince ones self that about the
hardest doctrine to get dairymen to CON-
preherd Is bodily comfort for the milch
COW, and that it is comfort In fullest
degree that enables the cow to give prof.
table messes Of milk for her owner. In
some way it seems 10 be al inherited sort
of wisdom(f) p with thousands Of farmers
who are dependent upon their herds for
their incomes, 10 insist that consultation
and vitality are things naturally foreign
To COW, and can only be acquired by
exposure TO cold, frost, biting winds,
aud chilling storms, an alternating freez-
inE and thzwing process, conspicuous
about which IL unlimited amounts of
northwest wind. The facts are that
these men never stop to observe any
thing, or make comparisons. They fall
To see that hot June weather, with Its
green grass, is ideal dairy weather, and
carries with II health and comfort 10 the
COW, and later on charge the shrink.ge
Of milk to everything but the real cause
dried, ripe grass and fiies. When the
fall months come, With cold rains and
frosts, they cannot see that cold, raw
wind will, and does, dry the cows; q
cold rain shrinks them, because they use
more food for fuel and less goes into the
pail. These men again fail 10 realize
that when the COW Is made very CON-
Portable aud warm In the disagreeable
weather OF fall and early winter, and the
iced approximstes summer conditions,
the COW keeps right on giving June
messes, showing conclusively that II WAS
lack Of comfort that caused the shrinksge
In the other instance, and not because
Of the fall Of silver bullion.
one OF the beauties OF this couferring
comfort upon = milch COW Is that it costs
very little beyond little labor a, odd
times TO secure It. Stables can be made
warm; glass will make them light;
mulch, straw, road dust, land plaster
aud the like will keep the floors dry, aud
can and free from odors, II they are
otherwise cared for, and halters and the
newer swing ties enable the cows To live
ia fashion Of freedom unknown TO the
occupants OF the rigid stsnchion. In
another respect, comfort can be extend
ed 10 the COWS, and that l. Ia regular
feeding, and full, satisfying feed each
time, aud then sllosing the COWS ample
time 10 digest and zssimilAte it before
adding another feed. The cows time Of
actual eating is when she IL chewing her
eud, and the comfort COW takes at this
period Is most essential TO after profit In
product. We believe that feeding twice
Il all q COW requires In t~enty-four
hours TO best secure comfort for herself,
and we are dead against" the practice
OF allowing COWS To roam the pastures
aud meadows In the winter In pursuit OF
fog feed. The winter milch COW IL not
benefited BY roaming the fields and MI
ing up on the weA thered and frosted last
seasons herbage. The appearance of a
dairy that forsges In the winter, as COM
pared With a welLhoused and well-fed
dairy, Is answer direct that the practice
Ia = defeuceless one, and that IL is far
more profitable 10 bring the feed 10 the
COW than 10 send the COW after worthless
food. Some men argue that succulent
food Is not natural diet In cold weather.
Sueculent foods need feeding In warm
barns and under summer conditions as
nearly as possible; then they are xnalo-
gous TO June foods aud conditions. and
the thousands of dsiries, silzse-fed, and
given 5O-degree water TO drink are the
full equals Ia yield OF the June dairies.
IL L. not comfort for COW 10 have only
one drink Of water \ day, aud that
ICED but 10 have IL when she desires
a. In the pasture. Oue gets full CON-
pensstion for the small outlay OF putting
water into the stables.
All that n cow IL required 10 do for
herself In the WAY of protection out OF
normal IL At the expense Of her owner
increased amount OF fuel food. or
shrinkage Of milk. and IL Is noticed that
a shrinksge Of milk from lack OF proyid-
ing comfort Is accompanied with loss
Of flesh. Cows getting thin, and
can't account for H." the excuse Is gen
erally worded. Cows adjust themselves
10 the conditions under which they are
placed, and IL exposed To fall wind and
winter weather they grow coats Of hair,
In place OF maintaining milk How.
Warming Ice water In their stomachs
burns the color out OF butter, gives dry
ness TO the hair, aud symptoms oftiimes
of hollow horn" and ~olf-in-the-tsil,
remedied only when the moon sign Is
right. in May, and grass Is abundant.
This must be remembered by man,
that the COW Il a mother, II she Is
beast: and everything which can con-
tribute TO the comfort OF that mother
COW Is in the line Of better milk pro-
duction; warmth, succulent foods, free
dom from chilling blasts and congesling
rains, plenty OF grains on the side OF
oats, bran, oil meal, and the like, 70 sup
ply protelns. out OF which TO make
milk: plenty Of fuel along the line OF
clover hay, nice corn fodder, and starchy
foods 10 make animal heat; u eomforta-
Die tie place and kind words and treat
ment. With all these our mother COW
becomes creature Of benehcence, and
better by far in her gifts, because We
have tried 10 understand her, and &C
cord her the sort OF comfort and SUD-
stance that Ia In keeping with her nature
"a a mother COW. And here hangs the
law and the profits Of modern and sue
cessful dairying.-New York Tribune.