Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1913-04-15
Handling Cows with Kindness.

(By william Galloway)
want to lay . lot of emphasis on gen
tleness among cattle. 1t is so important
that cows and growing young stock bs
gently handled that want 10 give
little advice because IL means dollars In
your pocket. Making milk is com
plex process with the cow, and while
she is going forward with it from day to
day she must be gently treated or her
nervous system is disarranged and she
cuts down the flow and you notice it In
the milk pail. Every comfort must be
given her in the way Of handling and
stabling, and she must not want for the
smallest thing her appetite or bodily
comfort crave if she is to stand up to the
strain of making a good profit.
IL she is stabbed on hard floor with
out bedding, is irregularly fed, knocked
on the rump with milk stools, whipped,
yelled at, until she ID so nervous she
wants to jump into the manger or
through the stanchion-if these things
are forced upon her, she is going 10
make her owner pay well for the privi-
lege of doing them. Go into the barn OF
any first. class dsirymsn and look about
for yourself. You will see cows con-
tented and peaceful, chewing their cuds,
resting, apparently doing nothing-ex-
cept making milk.
Especially among high-bred cattle will
harshness shown to them be seen to re-
suit in lessened milk supply. A heavy
mixer is always one that is highly strung
in nervous temperament. She IS just as
hardy, as strong and as willing as the
loafing cow that takes your bit ot rough
treatment without showing it. IL one OF
my mixers should 60 down my line OF
Holstein cattle, either along the calf
pens or behind the milking cows, and
rap them with stools or pals, or sticks
or their hands, | would get him of the
farm at once. Every time be uttered a
harsh threat while stanchioning the
cows, know it would cost me quart OF
milk.
A cow that has to lie down on a cold,
Undecided floor runs chances Of ipJuring
her udder by the cold. She soon learns
20 stand rather than lie down. Then
she becomes restless and shifts about
and will step on the udder OF the COW
lying next to her II given half chance
Many COW has been Injured in just this
way.
Regular feeding is very important.
When feeding time approaches, good
cow begins to move about in her stall or
stanchion and look for the feeder. III
she is kept worrying about it, she will
not give the greatest amount OF milk,
because the demand of her digestive or
gans is not responded TO with food.
Habit has much to do with this, also.
Let the feeder who does not care when
he feeds and milks, take charge OF
herd which has had punctual attendance,
and right away the dow of milk drops
down, and, unless the owner knows the
reason, the flow is never recovered.
lu winter, force the cows out on a raw
day and make them stand bumped IN
the wind or go foraging down the lane
and into the cornstalks, and you'll get
| no milk. An abundance OF unchllled
water, winter and summer, Is one OF tue
important cow comforts. Sailing regu-
larly is another. A COW is very pecul-
lar factory into which is taken the raw
stuffs and from which she turns highly
finished product. Every thing she needs
10 make the most output is an important
cog in the wheel, and, If omitted, she
fails to do perfect work. Don't forget
this. She must have every comfort.
She must not be exposed. She must
not be abused. She is almost human,
for though she csnnos talR, she can
make herself understood by the dairy
man who knows his cows.