The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1916-04-22


cradle distance from the stable bad
odors from it cannot faint the milk
and the danger of contamination from
filth laden flies is lessened. The fly
nuisance Is caused by accumulations of
manure, in which the flies breed, and If
conditions are favorable the manure
should be removed to the fields every
day. Flies carry bacteria and filth, and
earnest efforts should be made to keep
them from the stable. If the stable
and it's surroundings are clean and
free from accumulations Of manure
and other materials which attract flies
it can be kept fairly free of them by
the use of fly poison and traps. In ad-
dition to removing the accumulated
manure from the gutter every day, the
soiled bedding should be raked back
into the gutter and replaced with clean
bedding. No animals other than cows
should be allowed In the stable. The
open shed system Of keeping cows is
advocated by many dairymen and has
some advantages, but it Is essential
that tie shed be kept dry and be open
on the south side.
silase For Dairy Cow.
The feed for cows should be palata-
BILE and nutritious. Moldy and decay
ed feed and such feeds as may in
juriously affect the cows health or the
character of the milk should be care
fully avoided. The odor and flavor of
milk are very readily affected by rape,
cabbage, turnips and other feeds hav-
ing strong odors, and when used they
should be given after milking, in which
case there is little danger Of contami-
mating the milk. If pastures are over
run with garlic or wild onion the COWS
should be removed from the pasture
several hours before milking.
When silage came into use as a feed
for dairy cows there were many objec-
tons to it on the ground that it I'M
fayorably affected the flavor of the
milk, but these complaints are now
less common, as the bad favors have
been found to be caused by poor quail
ity Of silage, improper feeding or be-
cause silage odors were absorbed
from the stable air. Good silage, fed
in reasonable quantities after milking,
will not injure the health of the COWS
nor impair the quality of the milk. 1t
must be fed after milking and all I'M
eaten silage removed so that the silage
OdOrs will disappear from the air be-
fore the next milking. Many health
authorities forbid the feeding Of wet
brewers or distillers' grains to cows
because such grains ferment rapidly
and produce strong OdOrs, which are
absorbed by the milk, and under ordi-
nary conditions the stable and COWS
become so filthy that the production
Of clean milk is impossible.
Salt and Water For Cows.
Owing to the dust and odors which
arise from the feeding of hay, grain
and silage, it is best from a sanitary
point Of view to feed after milking
rather than before. A liberal supply
of salt should be provided in a place
where the COWS can have ready access
to it. 1t is Of prime Importance that
the cows have an abundance of fresh.
pure water. Cows which produce TWEEN
ty-five pounds Of milk a day require
seventy-fve pounds or more Of water
daily, and instances are on record in
which heavy mixers have consumed
more than 300 pounds of water in that
time. This large quantity of water is
necessary not only for the formation
Of milk, but also for the digestion and
assimilation of the large quantities of
food consumed, much of which is
roughage. 1t is not wise to permit
cows to drink large quantities of ice
cold water, and in order to encoura ge
them to drink water enough in ex-
tremely cold weather it is necessary
to warm it slightly. The water trough
should be kept clean and so situated
that the cows when drinking will not
be exposed unnecessarily to inclement
weather.