ON THE DAIRY FARM

Te Ao Hou, June 1960, Page 55

ON THE DAIRY FARM The shortest day is now passed, and this next period will undoubtedly be the busiest one for the New Zealand dairy farmer. The cows will all be having their calves, and they will need extra special care during this period. The results of this work will be reflected in the butter-fat production for the coming season. It is imperative that dairy cows should be well fed for six to eight weeks after calving. They should have easy access to good hay at all times, and if the pasture is poor they should each receive up to 20–25 lbs of silage per day. Early calving cows should be given about 2 hours grazing per day on the autumn saved pasture, and in addition, should be fed as much silage as they will eat. A dairy cow is an animal of habit, so at the start of each new season they should be trained to let down their milk quickly by the establishment of a fixed milking routine. They should be brought into the shed quietly, udders washed and milked in the same way at each milking. Every endeavour should be made to avoid any unusual treatment which may upset them in any way at all. Cows can be trained to stand without the use of back chains or let ropes, and they appear to give their milk down more freely without these encumbrances. Prior to putting the teat-cups on the cows, udders should be washed vigourously and a squirt of milk taken from each teat. This is done for two reasons, firstly to ensure a free passage for the milk, and secondly, to assist in detecting cases of mastitis. A good milk flow has almost stopped, the teat-cups should be pulled down gently to take any milk that remains in the teats, and then the cups can be removed without splashing milk all over the floor of the cowshed. During the early part of the season, dairy cows will be subjected to many ailments. Warmth is always of great assistance to sick animals, so all wise farmers should keep a number of cow covers in a handy place for use when and if they are required. Ordinary ailments such as bloat, milk fever, and grass-staggers are easily detected, and animals can be treated for these complaints quite simply, but when in doubt, a farmer should always seek the advice and help from his local Veterinarian. Common molasses has a medicinal value to all animals and especially to newly calved cows. Its cheapness brings it within the reach of all farmers, and it is a good idea to have a small trough filled with molasses placed in some easy accessible position where cows can help themselves whenever they feel inclined to do so.