LONG OR SHORT MILKINGS.

Southern Cross, Volume 7, Issue 34, 18 November 1899, Page 6

LONG OR SHORT MILKINGS.

As the result of experiments re milk secretion, observes a writer in a Home paper, it was found that the highest per cents, of fat usually follow the shortest periods between milkings. Where the cows are milked at four equal intervals in the twenty-four hours the highest per cent, occurs most often at or near the noon hour, and the lowest per cent, most equally often at morning and night, with a much larger number at midnight than at noon. The average range of variation during seven days between the highest and lowest per cent, of fat for individual animals is greater among four-year-olds and full-aged cows than among the younger animals. Neither the cows which show very great variation during the seven days in the per cent, of fat nor those which show slight variation are abnormal animals, since their total product of milk and fat is near the average tor their class. Cows which have been once tested and forced to their greatest capacity for a week rarely reach the same height of production again during the same period of lactation, even though the circumstances may be otherwise most favourable, but frequently have made increased records in succeeding periods of lactation. There is an increase of only 7'5 of milk and 7'7, per cent, in fat of fullaged animals over four years old, which shows that on an average cows have very nearly reached their largest production between the ages

four and five. This summary of some valuable experiments offers material for very close attention by owners of dairies, who may, by attention to their own animals, bearing in mind what is above stated, find out for themselves what is most profitable in their own herd, and they might also make a test whether it is better to milk twice or thrice a day at equal or unequal intervals. In some countries it is customary to milk three times a day, and especially in those districts where such heavy heavy milkers as the HolsteinFriesian cows are kept.