Hard Quarters.

King Country Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 99, 18 September 1908, Page 3

Hard Quarters.

It is recognised that the imperfect removal of the milk is a ready way to dry a cow—when this is not wanted. Nature assumes that the quantity produced is not required, and speedily reduces secretion. But it i's also well understood that neglecting to strip the udder, besides losing the richest of. the milk,and lessening production is a very ready way of causing induration or "hard quarter," and converting the cow into a useless animal for milking purposes, when she comes to calve again. On those farms where udder troubles are very frequent, imperfect stripping is generally at the bottom of it, and a change of milker has often resulted in its entire disappearance. With regard to leaving- the animal alone altogether so far as milking l is concerned, this must be regarded as a highly dangerous proceeding in the case of a cow giving any quantity of milk, and it is only practicable in those cases where se.cretiori is small indeed. Allowing a small cow to remain too long without milking to en sure a full and tempting bag at the time of sale, has often resulted in acute mammitis, and to do this with any animal giving a fair quantity is to run a grave risk of-injuring the cow, and of a prosecution- for cruelty. This form milking is known as over stocking, and is rightly regarded as cruelty, and many successful prosecutions have been carried out. That the action of milking induces secretion and retards the process of drying there is no manner of doubt, but better this than subject the animal to pain of prolonged retention and over distention and risk of inflammation of the udder. When the gland is obviously distended it should certainly be relieved.