The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-12-13
Care of Dairy Cattle.


AT the annual meeting of the Domin-
ion Ayrshire Breeders association, for
1897, Mr. Joseph Yuill read a most in
teresting and practical paper on THE
Care and Management of Dairy Cat
tie This should commence with the
calf at birth. Mr.. Yuill has a few box
stalls, and places his cows in them
week or so before calving. He removes
the calf as soon as it is dropped, be-
hind a partition where the COW can lick
it, but arranged so that the calf can
not suck it's mother. If a COW is in
high flesh, he reduces her in condition
by administering salts both before
calving and after. The COW and the
calf are left in the box stall, with the
partition between them, for three days
until all danger from milk fever is
over. The calf is given all it can take
of the first milking, and the rest is
drunk by the cow. If there is any
danger of milk fever it is not advis-
able to milk the COW dry. To test
whether the milk is fit for use, heat
it in a. vessel on the stove; if it thick
ems when cool it is unfit for use; if
no thickening takes place it has got
into its normal condition. 1t should
be all right about the eighth milking.
When the calf gets only skim milk,
which is when it is three weeks old,
it is necessary to add something to
the milk to make up for the cream re-
moved. Mr.. Yuill gives each calf a
teaspoonful of faxseed which has been
stepped for II hours in a quart of
warm water. The seed itself is not
given, only the essence. AS soon as
they show signs of eating he gives
them a little hay, which is changed
every day if not eaten. Some meal is
spread over the bottom of the box not
less than II inches square. The spread
ing of it about insures it's being bet
ter digested than when it is in a heap.
AS soon as they eat the meal some
faxseed is added, and, later on, a mix
ture of four pounds oats, two pounds
of peas, and one of barley, with its
own weight of bran. This is their feed
till spring. They then run on grass by
day and are kept in at night until the
flies set troublesome, when they are
allowed out at night and remain in the
stable during the heat of the day. His
heifers calve when two years old, and
every year after.
Mr.. Yuill brings his dairy cows into
the stable as soon as frost comes,
never letting them out once till spring.
The mornings milking takes place at
Sis o'clock a. m. The milk is separ-
ated while breakfast is going on, one
of the members of the family looking
after the separating. After that the
calves are fed and the COWS watered
in the stable, and basketful of cut
beaver hay and peas and oats, followed
by ensilage, is given to the latter. If
the ensilage does not contain much
grain some is added, mixed in the same
proportions as for the calves. While
the COWS are feeding the stables are
cleaned out. They then remain IN
disturbed until $3.50 o'clock p. m, when
they are given feed of clover hay and
rations as in the morning, and again
cleaned out. Milking takes place at
$50 o'clock p. m. and the separator is
run during the supper hour After
that the calves get their evening meal
of milk
A great secret in attending dairy
cattle is punctuality and kindness
Milking takes place on Mr. Yuilrs
farm at the same hours on Sunday as
on week days. No COW repays care and
attention better than the Ayrshire
COW, although she can stand hardship
vya1