Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1897-05-06

ing, and find that good milking
is a very important factor in
successful work. We may have the
best of surroundings, the best of feed,
the best of COWS, and give them the
best of care, and yet if we do not milk
we'll, the profits will be very considera-
bly, curtailed. With your permission l
will give my ideas of what constitutes
good milking and a good mixer, for
there is more science connected with it
than many suppose. If you have a herd
likely that you do not find any two
of precisely the same disposition, with
the same kind of udder and the same
kind of teats. Some are hard to milk,
others milk very easily, some let the
milk down willingly and rapidly, 9TH
ers are Indifferent, and still others are
inclined to refuse entirely. The good
mixer must be able to adapt himself
to every one Of these natural condi-
lions Of the COW. Assuming that the
hour for milking has come, each mixer
should milk the same COWS at the same
time of day, and milk them in the
same order. He should have a good
substantial stool. and lot merely a
piece of board on the top Of a stick of
stove wood. for with this make-shift
neither the mixer nor the milk is
safe. Let the COW know that she is to
be MIXED by a gentle word or two, such
rs $50. boss" Sit down quietly by
her side, have q damp cloth and wipe
off the udder and all parts liable to har-
Dor anything offensive to the milk. I
do not like the idea advocated by some
dairymen of washing off a number of
cows udder without milking them i'm
mediately. With easy mixers it is
always sure to cause a leakage and this
is then likely to become a habit, and
no one can tell where it will end. At
ter the udder is cleansed, and the good
will of the COW gained, press a few
drops from each teat separately and
moisten or gently rub the teat with the
finger" of the other hand. This will aid
greatly in drawing the milk, especially
with a hard milking COW. While going
through with this process, the pail
should stand to one side. Do not wet
LIE lSdS Will mllh. LUXE UOlu VI IL
with the whole hand if possible, but
when it is too short use as many fin
gers as you can. Never milk with the
finger and thumb if it can possibly be
avoided. Milk the two front teats first,
as they can be MIXED evenly. 1t is
claimed by some that if the front quar-
ters give less milk than the hind quar-
tiers the front car be brought up to the
hind ones by milking one of each to-
gether. l think, however, that the re-
verse Of this is true. Let the mixer
raise the hand high enough to fill the
teat with milk. hold it with the fore
finger and thumb, press firmly on the
teat with the other fingers in their or
der, and be sure to have the finger
nails short. Let the milk be drawn
as quickly as possible for if not a loss
will follow. and always be sure to get
the last drop. Keep all sores from the
teat by judicious treatment. Prevent
any excitement of any kind, unduly
loud talking, unnecessary changes of
position or anything unusual that may
distract the COW. Let everything be
done quietly and in order. 1 believe
in stabling the COWS to milk them, and
in darkening the stable, and If need be
covering the COWS with a light cover
ing to keep the flies off. And finally,
treat boss" as an esteemed and val
ued friend.