The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1912-07-04
VI.-The Heller and
the Udder.
By LAURA ROSE.
Demonstration and Lecturer In Dairyine
at the Ontario Agricultural Co..
lege. Guelph. Canada.

copyright. 1911. by A. c. McClurg & Col
n 7 pays in more ways than one to
be on friendly terms with our
animals. You must pet and talk
to tue 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 un-
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 heifer's udder for IL few days
after calving is swollen and intla met
and often painful She is nervous ami
excited. II you have been in the haEi.
of handling her. she viii! a:nw you t"
gently rub her udder and draw IA little
milk The relief thus given will fur
ther install you in her affections ana
her last thought would be to lift Il
foot to kick you The Kicking COW
Is not born: she is made that way by
the mixer. 1t is good plan to clip
the long hair from the udder around
the teats. When milking this hair Il
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 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 and 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 better chance to de-
velop, as there is not the extra tax on
her during the heaviest Cow of milk.
| 1t ought not to be necessary to>dwel
upon the point of feeding heife; ger
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 fol
her board Is she not preparing herseli
to work again every day for ten OF
eleven months. besides presenting hel
owner with calf?
| If you wish to establish a long milk
ing propensity you must be persistent
in milking the heifer after her first
calf It is then that the habit of Il long
or short milking period is formed. Dry
her up at seven or eight months and II
is difficult ever after to get her to mill:
for ten months For this reason keep
or milking her for ten or eleven
months, no matter how little milk you
may get.
It 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
60 on the grass just when there is u
tendency to Il falling off in the mill;
flow. The change to fresh pasture
stimulates the secretion Of milk. and il
is like second freshening,
Fal! calving is better both for the
COW and the calf They receive better
care and are not so exposed to eS
tremes Of weather. 1t must be- remein
bered that a COW must not be neglect
ed when dry This is her building uI
period, and she should get plenty o!
good food and he in vigorous condition
at freshening time.
The udder. the glandular organ II
which the COW secretes her milk. II
made up of arteries. veins. nerves
tissue and fat When cut. it has :
soft. spongy. pale grayish pink appear
ance. There Is Il partition running
lengthwise through the udder. divid
ing it into two distinct and uncoD
nected parts. If IL cow lose the use o
one of her teats. the milk may bt
largely drawn from that quarter
through the other teat on the same
side. but If an accident happen Il
both teats on the same side. half o
her usefulness as Il mixer Is gone
The birth Of the young is me p.;
mary incentive to the secretion OF mil
~ all animals which siirF;a the:
u young In the Wild animals in in IT;
scrub COW the Gdder Is small and iia