The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1912-07-19
By LAURA ROSE,
Demonstration and Lecturer In Dairying
at the Ontario Agricultural COL
lege, Guelph. Canada.
copyright, 1911, by A c. McClurg & Co


r I pays in more ways than one to
be on friendly terms with our
animals. You must pet and talk
to the young heifer so as to gain
her confidence and affection.
Place her early with the herd of milk
cows and watch that no harm be-
falls her. A sudden fright from dog
or an unusual sight may cause her to
lose her calf
Go through the process of milking
her to accustom her to being handled.
See that her calf is removed I'M
known to her twenty-four hours after
birth Go into the stall soon after the
calf is taken away, groom and caress
the young mother. and if she gets the
idea that you are the baby so much
the better for the milk pail.
The heifers udder for a few days
and often painful. She is nervous and
excited. If you have been in the habit
of handling her. she will allow you to
gently rub her udder and draw little
milk. The relief thus given will fur
Their install you in her affections and
her last thought would be to lift a
foot to kick you. The kicking COW
is not born; she is made that way by
the mixer. 1t is a good plan to clip
the long hair from the udder around
the teats. When milking this hair is
often caught with the teats and pulled.
causing pain which makes the heifer
kick.
To get gentle cows there is nothing
like raising them yourself The COW
seems to partake of the disposition Of
her keeper. No dairyman can afford to
have a man in his stable who is rough
and quick tempered.
Tho First Calf.
If the heifer is thrifty and strong she
may have her first calf from two to
two ana half years old. If delayed
longer she is apt to acquire the habit of
putting her food into flesh. 1t is we'll
to delay the coming Of the second calf
for a few months longer than is usual
in the mature COW. This gives the
young heifer a better chance to de-
velop. as there is not the extra tax on
her during the heaviest flow Of milk.
1t ought not to be necessary to dwell
upon the point of feeding heifer gen.
erously. She is as yet immature and
must have plenty of good food to build
up her own body as well as nourish the
unborn calf.
Many farmers as soon as a COW be-
comes dry let her hunt her own living
or half starve her. excusing their neg
lect by saying she is doing nothing for
her board. Is she not preparing herself
to work again every day for ten or
eleven months. besides presenting her
owner with q calf?
If you wish to establish long milk
ing propensity you must be persistent
in milking the heifer after her first
calf. 1t is then that the habit of long
or short milking period is formed. Dry
her up at seven or eight months and it
is difficult ever after to get her to milk
for ten months. For this reason keep
on milking her for ten or eleven
months, no matter how little milk you
may get.
1t is better to have the heavy flow Of
milk in the winter. when prices are
higher and help more plentiful. Cows
coming in in November and December
go on the grass just when there is
tendency to a falling of in the milk
flow. The change to fresh pasture
stimulates the secretion of milk. and it
is like second freshening.
Fall calving is better both for the
cow and the calf. They receive better
care and are not 80 exposed to ex-
tremes Of weather. 1t must be remem-
bered that a cow must not be neglect
ed when dry. This Is her building up
period. and she should get plenty Of
good food and be in vigorous condition
at freshening time.
The udder. the glandular organ in
which the cow SecreteS her milk, Is
made up Of arteries. veins. nerves.
tissue and fat. When cut. it has
soft. spongy. pale grayish pink appear
ance. There is a partition running
lengthwise through the udder. divid-
ing it into two distinct and uncon-
nected parts. If a COW lose the use of
one of her teats. the milk may be
largely drawn from that quarter
through the other teat on the same
side. but if an accident happen to
both teats on the same side. half Of
her usefulness as a mixer is gone.
The birth of the young is the pri-
mary incentive to the secretion of milk
by all animals which suckle their
young In the wild animals and in the