Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1907-02-20
CREAMERY PATRONS CORNER


This article will probably be read
by q few young farmers and hope
with profit to the readers. But many
Nevertheless, it is factthat there are
years without knowing how to milk
basis and the directions given by ex-
knowledge. This may have been learned
in school, from books, or by actual
Observ alton and experience.
It is difficult in the present day to
find any farm hands who take any in
terest in the subject; in fact, many farm
hands refuse outright to assist in the
milking even when an emergency makes
it necessary for them to do so. There
are several reasons for this. Poor
stables. foul quarters, dark and damp
milking rooms, poor COWS, dirty COWS
vicious and hard-milking Sail
tend to make the average farm hand
averse to the task of milking. Anoth-
er thing which has much to do with
making hired help dislike the job is
that upon most farms the mixer is ex-
pected to work in the field until dark,
or as late as the other hands work,
and then put in an hour or two milk
ing and doing chores Again, many
farmers have the idea that milking is
not much of a job, that any man or
boy can see to the COWS. Lack of in
terest on the part of the proprietor
coupled with lack of knowled &c on
the part of both the proprietor and his
men has made the dairy end of many
q farm Improbable.
The milking stable. should be clean,
dry, light and comfortable. The COWS
should be gentle and easy mixers.
The mixer should be allowed ample
time for his work. Neither the milk
er nor the COWS should be hurried or
worried. Not one COW stable in twen-
ty is built with regard to the above
requirements. Half of the dairy COWS
of the country are untidy, if not filthy.
Some of them are kickers, many are
hard mixers and disagreeable to milk
or handle. Very little care has been
taken in selecting the farm COWS, and
as many an otherwise excellent animal
is ruined by bad training or subse-
Quent mismanagement, the COWS on the
average farm are not q very friendly
proposition to tackle. Especially does
the hired man dread to approach this
task If he is tired out or hurried by
the prospect of big days rkEahead
of him. Boys are overworked by run
ming errands, getting up the stock, do
ing chores, etc and then expected to
get q good flow of milk, from the mean.
. est, hardest milking old brute in, the
! herd, and this while other people ARK
hustling around getting ready to &C
to town, to church or to concert. Be
I sides this, the farmer has never learned
to milk and is not competent TO teach
the boy much about the business ever
i II he has enough interest in the boy OF
+ the herd to do SO ~: + r. III. +
First, never try to milk . COW whose
udder and tests are not perfectly clear
and dry. For decency q sake, sex
+ chat the flank and udder are brushed
clean. This. takes only q minut<
even II the COW had not been scurriet
4 previously. In the best stables tn.
cows arecarefully roomed and brushed
! before being taken into the milking
4 stall. IN some cases tits necessary K
wash the teats in warm water or sWipt
them carefully but gently with a,clean
damp cloth But two points must b
borne inmind III this connection: j
J cleans nothing toswash Il with dirt,
water and cold water will not remove
I. Dirt hut will check the dow Of milk
aT1,o nd der must 10 cate{ullys dried 10