FARM & FIELD

Tuapeka Times, Volume XLVIII, Issue 6524, 26 December 1917, Page 4

FARM & FIELD

deying orr A cow. It is not generally r. very difficult matter to dry off the cows without trouble—in act, tliey will often dry off themselves far too quickly, more particularly when the feed is going off in the hue autumn, and when milk is bringing n good price. Still, there Hre differences of opinion in to the List method. A cow should be allowed, say, eight weeks lo recruit her strength, a!iliiingii this, perhaps, is an unnecessary period with a cow wliiuh has been well fed and is in good condition, ye'; the benelit Ui herself and prjf.pcethe calf can ensilv be imagined if allowed a fair rest before commencing the new season. It is noi the poor milker one needs trouble about, but the persistent milker wlio may frequently entail a deal of inxiely lo her owner. *!•'.' may persist n secreting milk from one calving to ; -e ni'xt in spile of ihe dairyman's best endeavours to dry her oil'. It is peiliaps tin e iinpoi'iaar period during hn-lnlioir in wliieli il>l eon may readily go wrung, and be the in.iin reason why so many cous when :k-y come in again later as milkers are I'iuliy perhaps in a ipianer, and only lit tor faltering purposes. Ii is the cow uiili the hi,; milk flow whom rare must be i.ikcn of. We

ralher favour the practic-.' of milking iiiiri a day for a few days (.stale! an authority i. When ihe qua itity yielded is somewhat less, miss a day and so on unlil two or three mdkings elaji.se between the niilkings or mild the cow is finally dry. The udder should be emptied at each milking', a:i;l mi danger inn of allowing thickened milk to accuuiulate.

11' any should form during the drying oil' process Ihe cow -iior'd.' be str ; ppe-l mil frequently I'll this i ndem y disappears entirely ; ntlienvis" there is :•

risk tltat iullaiiMualiiui will set in. and when the mi conies in a I e;:lvd>„' time I.m i> good cow should have attention during her dry period, be looked to o--:i. lonally, as it may happen that a c:w will secrete lluid hi Uillieient quantity to cause trouble quite unknown to her owner. It may indeed be next door fi impossible to indue.■ some cow? to gic up the milking Irib/, and ra'.he: than take extreme and riAy measures, ii vruld be betler to fe v.l the animal e-penally well with 'h.- vie. to nmit-;-i i- the growing calf and continue

hoiking. Ii is hoi'i i' prnrlico when ib-yiog oft' cows to milk on.' ihonilghl.' well at times rather than milk a little away at every milking time, and to leave a poi'lion of the udder liable 10 thicken and injure the '.le'i"UM' cell tis-

sues. There is probably in. hosl method thai vnr can invariably employ with all cous. more particular!-.' with n heavy milking animal : but experience of nsluice's methods leaches that organs not used or exercised disappear or cease to perform their functions, etnplusisiug the value of drying oil' sjowly and prolonging the intervals of milking rather than risking half-milking duly. The

fad iliiit so many cows come in 'wioug' in liie m. »r justifies special cuisideiation being paid to the '' drying.oil'" process. Some knowledge of the physiology of the udder is most important, ami would help greatly to avoid many ~f ihe ills which are noi infrequent in maiiv dairymen's herds.