The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-02-15

Nearly every farm, suburban. or
small-town home can keep a family
COW economically, and If the cow is
a good one, she will produce all the
milk and butter needed by the average
family, say dairy specialists Of the
United States Department Of Agri-
culture
When pasturing or lettering ground
is available to furnish feed for a cow
from to months during the year.
family cow can be kept at small
cost. During the winter it will be
necessary to buy feed, but even with
the present cost of commercial feeds,
milk can be produced economically.
Spring is good time to begin with
the family cow, for there is an abun-
dance Of nourishing and succulent
grass-the natural COW feed-at this
time.
The Cows Homo
Cows are not very particular about
where they live. They do not insist
on an elaborate or expensive home.
Usually there Is building on the
place which can be converted into
stable for the cow at small cost. Even
IL it is necessary to build a stable, it
need not cost great deal. But in
order to remain healthful and be able
to produce the maximum amount of
milk, the COW insists on a few essen
tials about her home: 1t must be dry,
well lighted, and furnish protection
from cold and disagreeable weather.
There should be four square feet OF
window space for each COW, say de-
partment specialists. Windows should
be on the south side if possible, and
CO v,1o IN o6 abundant
light in all parts of the stable, par
ticularly the floor. Sunlight is germ
killer.
The COW should have a good-sized
feed manager. The wise COW owner
keeps the manager we'll filed with good
feed, for if he has the right kind of
a COW the more feed she eats the more
milk she will produce. The manager
should be provided with a halter or
simple, homemade stanchion. The
cows stall should be from 81 to 4
feet wide. To keep the animal dry
and clean, build a raised platform,
preferably Of concrete, or if this is not
practicable, tightly fitted boards may
be used. For cows of the smaller
breeds, such as Jerseys and Guernseys
the platform should be feet inches
long, and for larger animals, such as
Holsteins, feet long. The stalls
should be kept clean and well bedded.
Health a Consideration
In selecting the family COW, health
should be the first consideration. A
diseased COW does not produce milk
economically, and frequently it is I'M
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, milk containing high percent
age Of butter fat, an animal of the
Jersey or Guernsey breed should be
selected. Holsteins and Ayrshires pro-
duce a larger quantity, of milk than
the animals of the tw breeds men
toned, but their milk not SO rich
in butter fat.
During the spring, summer and fall
the COW should get most of her feed
from pasture. If a 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 high
ly developed dairy sections of Euro
pean countries, where some OF the
best cows in the world are raised. II
the COW is to be tethered. she should
have a halter, 15-foot to 20-foot iron
chain with swivel in it, and stake.
The COW should have plenty of fresh.
clean water at least twice day. All
good milk producers need lots OF
water, and COW owners should remem-
Der that milk itself is 81 per cent
water. Cows which produce Is pounds
of milk day require 20 pounds or
more Of water daily, and instances
80
suming more than 800 pounds Of water
in day.
Producing Clean MIX
The COW should be groomed, bedded,
and fed after milking rather than be-
fore, as these operations fill the stable
air with dust and bacteria which are