Williston graphic., 1919-02-13

Gt Of our farm friends
this column for any farmers who
, to live stock, grain or poultry.
arm Editor, care Of Graphic.
chion. The cows stall should be
from 3 1-2 to 4 feet wide. sTo keep
the animal dry and clean, build a
raised platform, preferably of con-
crete, or if this is not practicable,
tightly fitted boards may be used.
For cows of the smaller breeds, such
as Jerseys and Guarnseys, the plat
form should be 4 feet 8 inches long,
and for larger animals, such as I1ol-
stems, 5 feet long. The stalls should
be kept clean and we'll bedded.
Health the First Consideration
In selecting the family COW, health
should be the first consideration. A
diseased cow does not produce milk
economically, and frequently it is un-
fit for human food. The family COW
should be tuberculin tested.
Her ability to produce large guam
titles of milk economically is the
next qualification. If rich milk is
desired-that is, mil kcontaining a
high percentage of butter fat, an ami
NAL of the Jersey or Guernsey breed
should be selected Holsteins and
Ayrshires produce a larger quantity
of milk than the animals of the two
breeds mentioned, but their milk is
not so rich in butter fat.
During the spring, summer, and
fall the cow should get most of the
feed fom pastue. If q lot properly
fenced is not available, it is easy to
stake or tether the COW. This is the
practice in the Isle of Jersey and in
other highly developed dairy sections
of European countries, where some of
the best cows in the world are rais-
ed. If the COW is to be tethered, she
should have a halter, a 15-foot to 20
foot light iron chain with a swivel
in it, and q stake.
The COW should have plenty of
fresh, clean water at least twice q
day. All good milk producers need
lots of water, and cow owners should
remember that milk itself is 81 per
cent water. Cows which produce 25
pounds of milk a day require IS lbs.
or more of water dairy, and instances
are on record of heay mixers con-
suming more than 300 pounds of wa
ter q day.
Producing Clean Milk
The cow should be groomed. bedded,
and fed after milking rather than
before, as these operations fill the
stable air with dust and bacteria
which are almost sure to get into the
milk To have healthy animals is
one Of the first essentials of the pro-
duction of clean milk. If the cow is
diseased, her milk is apt to contain
! disease-producing bacteria, or be
otherwise abnormal, and such milk
is not clean or safe as food, even
though there is no visible dirt in it..
To aid in the production of clean
milk and to help keep cows healthy,
the stable should be cleaned at least
twice a day and fresh bedding sup
piled.
All dairy utensils should be kept
thoroughly clean. This is essential to
prevent the rapid growth Of harm
full bacteria which hasten the sour
ing OF milk All utensils should be
washed clean, then rinsed and ster-
i1ized. A simple, home made steri-
lizer, described in Farmers Bulletin
14s of the United States Department
of Agriculture, can be made for So
or 50, and should be used by all
dairymen, and even owners Of one
COW.
Provide Sanitary Housing
Conditions
Losses of live stock due to disease
are less on farms operated under rea-
sonably sanitary conditions. and are
slight in proportion to those on farms
where no special attention is given
to making the housing conditions
sanitary. A man about to embark
in the livestock industry should nes-
itate, say officials of the u. S.. De-
partment Of Agriculture. unless he
is allie to supply buildings suitably
equipped to maintain at least fair
standard of hygiene. The prevalence
of diseases, particularly tuberculosis,
and their rapid spread in commune
tics where large numbers Of animals
are confined in dark, damp, poorly
ventilated buildings - especially Of
bank-barn type and the non-pre-
valence of similar diseases among
animals which are allowed to roam
at large, illustrates the Importance
of constructing barns so that the
live stock may have abundant nat
ural light and pure air.
Sanitary barn construction means
the liberal use of concrete and glass.
This does not necessarily mean ex-
pensive construction. The sanitary
barn should be built on a site that
has the advantages of good natural
drainage and 4 good water supply.
The surroundings should be in
keeping with the interior construc-
tion. Barn-yards and exercising lots