KEEP THE COWS CLEAN.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 2662, 2 June 1908, Page 8

KEEP THE COWS CLEAN.

In the summer time, when the cows are not confined to the sheds, bat are out in the open fields night and day, their coats are quite free from all dirt, and sweet and wholesome both to themselves and all who come in contact with them. It is then they assume their best appearance, and all their associations are a pleasure, but when tied up in winter, and large quantities of droppings are deposited under their feet, a great deal of muck soon clings to their hindquarters, and other parts, the hips are especially besmeared, and the teats and udder are very often filthy. If this is allowed to go on for a time the dung forms into little knobs and Hakes, and then it it most difficult to clean them, the r< suit being that the cluster tags of dung remain on all the winter and until they are turned out to the grass in the early summer and get new coa't. This dirt makes the cows unhealthy and an undoubted discomfort to the animals, a discredit to those in charge, and a danger wheu the cows are kept for milk. The last is much the worst feature of the condition, as dirt-laden cows can never be milked without some of the filth getting into the milk; then liabilities of a very serious nature are apt to arise. Inspectors may examine and condemn the milk, and if not searched by them there are possibilities of sickness occurring through its consumption. Indeed no word can be said in favor of dirty cows, but everything is on the side of constant cleanliness, and it is this which I insist on. Enlightened construction of the cowHheds assists cleanliness. Broken floors, with holes here and there that retain wet, are sure to soil the cows. Where a neatly-formed gutter runs along behind the most of the droppings and liquid will be received there, and never come in contact with the cows, but where there is no channel, or these are out of order, dirty hips cannot be avoided. It is not always that the tast-littered cows 7are the cleanest. Where the stalls are raised to some extent with a channel as a receptacle for the dung, very little bedding is needed, and what is used remains long clean, but when the bedding is at once mixed with the droppings and liquid, filth that adheres is at once created, and more bulk is not a prevention.

The first step, therefore to keep cows clean in winter, or when stalled, is to have sound floors, means for all liquid at once running off and a hollow sufficiently deep to receive the dung along behind the cows. A!l new cowsheds are constructed in this fashion, but the old ones are often very deficient and it would pay to rectify them promptly and efficiently. Concrete foundations and cement surfaces act admirably, and are durable. But apart from the construction of the stalls and floors, more or less grooming is always necessary, and the secret of making it easy and effective is to begin in good time, and keep all clean before the dung cakes and becomes adhesive mats. When this occurs, more and more will stick on, and no ordinary scraping or brushing will remove it. It will have to be shaved off close to the skin, and this is a disfigurement. There is no great amount of labour connected with grooming cows if they receive daily attention. Each milker should be responsible for keeping his cows groomed. Arrange this, and there will very soon be rivalry as to who has the best-groomed cows. Then there will be no danger of lapses or indifference. A half-groomed cow is most inacceptable; there is no credit in such, and evils 1 are not prevented. When the udder is washed, do it thoroughly and dry perfectly. The curry comb and dandy brush, so useful in keeping horses clean and sleek, are well adapted for grooming cows, and well bound soft wisps uf straw, if made use of daily, will be found sufficient to keep all clean. Remember it is daily grooming alone that will prove satisfactory; and allowing accumulations for days and then making a sweep is a very inefficient style. There is great gratification in dealing with a clean lot of cows during winter, but the muck-besmeared are unwholesome and repulsive to all.— 1 Wairarapa Daily Times.'