Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1916-12-19
Milking Problems.

Milking Problems.
Not every man makes good dairyman
There Is relationship between the COWS
and the man who handles them that ia
not equalled in any other phase of farm.
ing. Good dairy cows are gentle and
docile and with kind treatment will
yield every ounce of butterfat to the
mixer that is possible for them to yield.
A good milker must be kind and quiet,
and endeavor to understand the individ.
usls in his herd. have known cows to
be nervous and touchy Sometimes this
is brought about through unkind treat
ment, sometimes on account of sore
teats, sometimes because the COW thinks
the hand of the mixer is going to hurt
her. When the COW shows signs of ner-
vousness at milking time and shrinks
away from the hand of the mixer,
have found IL best to approach her gent.
ty, and lightly massage her teats and I'D
der, and accustom her to the touch be-
fore commencing milking. When she is
made to feel that everything is all right
she will probably lose her nervousness.
In case the teats are tender it will some.
times cure her nervous, toucby condi-
tion If little warmed castor oil is sp-
piled to the teats and udder in the even
ing after milking.
like to have erything quiet about
the dairy barn at milking time. A cow
likes to know and understand what is
going on about her. When fastened in
their places with heavy wooden stanch-
ions they are unable to turn or see what
is going on about them. The iron
stanchions are very little more expen.
sive, are more convenient, permit
larger freedom of movement, and do not
hinder the cows view. IL the arrange
ment Is possible, prefer to have the
cows arranged in a double row, both
rows facing in, with a center feedway
between. This makes feeding more
handy and allows them a freedom of
view.
Unless desire to dry off a COW al
ways make it poiEt to milk her clean.
Tests made show that the strippings are
richer in butterfat than the rest of the
milk. 1t is desirable to not only get all
the butterfat at each milking, but also
to bring the COW to her best milk yield.
To do this she must be MIXED clean
each time. The milking periods should
be regular. Tests made DO not seem to
indicate that there is any material differ-
euce in the daily milk yield where the
milking periods are only slightly un-
even, say an hour or so difference, but
where the time is longer than this 1t is
to produce bad results. The
main thing is 70 establish reasonable
milking periods then follow them regu-
larly.
Before milking begins, have always
found it desirable to run over the cows
hind quarters with curry comb and
brush, freeing the hair and tail from
dirt and manure; besides helping IN
the cows seem to like 1t and
[ believe it tends to make them give
down their milk more freely. A sponge
or wet cloth can be used to wash their
teats and udder, then dry with a soft
towel. This stops that fine dust from
showering down into the milk pail
while the milking is going on. The hne
dust contains q large number OF un-
healthy germs and it is decidedly against
good dairy practice to let 1t get into the
milk.
The practice of milking with wet
bands is bad and should never be per
mitted. 1t is not possible to get any
larger flow of milk by milking with wet
bands than with dry hands. As for
milking apparel, q change of overalls
and jumpers will serve the purpose.
This is not quite so nice as a white
milking suit, but they can be kept clean
and sanitary. With the barn kept clean
and in sanitary condition, and q milk
room in which to keep the cans while
milking and as place in which to do
the weighing and sampling, the milking
becomes a clean and sanitary operation.
have seen men have an extra suit for
milking time, but instead of having II
washed and cleaned regularly would
wear 1t until 1t became sleek, stiff, and
greasy with milk spattering upon 1t.
Such practice is just as bad for the
dairyman's ,own family as for others
who buy his milk. 1t is insanitary and
a menace to the health and should not
be permitted under any consideration
p. Fl. Eaton, Nebraska, in Hoard's
Dairyman.