HOLDINC UP THE MILK.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 275, 13 August 1908, Page 3

HOLDINC UP THE MILK.

A QUESTION OP NERVES. Tho "holding up" of the milk (says "The Dairy") as rathor a common phenomenon with some cows, and is sometimes worst with the very best milkers. It often happens ■when a stranger milks an animal, and it happens still more often when the milker is rough, and abuses the animal. Some people think that a cow can intentionally hold up .lfer milk and,, prevent the milker from drawing it easily,, but this is not-so, for the whole _ matter is' practically due ta nervous tension, which • in its turn is due to. fright. Many years ago Mr. Hoard, .one of.the*'most noted dairymen in America, and the editor of "Hoard's Dairyman," 'pointed. out that.. a cow. milked 1 in, propor-tion/tb-her :'nervous power. The sluggish plethoric animal never- yielded so well as one of a nervous, activo disposition—in other words, the moro brains a cow had the better she milked. The consequenco of this, however, ,is that... it. is just the, brainy' nervous cow. tliat is'the'most easily frightened and upset, ■; and -which should never bo milked by a- rough or brutal milker. The cow does .not knowingly and intentionally' hold up. What happens is that'when-she is "raised", or flustered;'or has her nerves, on edges/from ; any cause, the' tension induced extends' to :the mil!?-,glands,.:and- the milk :ceases t6 bo secreted and to..flow easily.. As-.it is a. fact that- tho nervous aniinals 'are naturally the best milkers, it-follows that it is the breeding and development of,-these that we want-to. encourage, but it equally follows that.it is tho workpeople who are gentle :and careful with 'tho cows, that we want to employ; ; A ner■voii.B -animal' -will fail-as : a' milker, if rbughl,f /treated, and'this.'is'the reason"-that a'stupid second-rate cow" often milks 'as- well as a really better one. The stupid cow does not mind being "knocked about" a, bit, whilo the better animal does badly because her ne'rves_ got upset with the'.bad treatment,' the milk is frequently "held up," and tho total yield reduced.