THE PROPER WAY TO MILK.

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 42, 22 March 1884, Page 7

THE PROPER WAY TO MILK.

Mi mci no is a simple operation, yet com- i paratively few draw milk from a cow's udder nioperly. It slioul Ibe an agrceaMe one to the cow. When rightly done the animal enjoys it. A good dairyman understands this, and sees to it that h^ l< lie!]) " exercises patience, kindness, and gentleness in the operation. At one of our Western dairymen's convention some li>ne ago, the subject was discussed with evident satisfaction and proiit- A number of common faults were alluded to, and among them were the following : — Trying to mdk too rapidly. One speaker said that the operation should not be hurried, but that the milk slioul I be drawn as fust as it flows natuuilly. Borne persons seize the teat as though it reqmie'l all their strength to dra\s the milk from it. This is worse than useless ; half the effort expended will expel t te milk and I avoid annoyance and pain to the cow. ! Another dairyman said lie had seen | fckose wlio claimed to be good milkers, and prided themselves on rapid miking, practice this pernicious habit. The pressure and strain on the hill milk vessels are injurious to the deli sate structure of these vessels and sometimes rupture them, causing bloody milk. Tuis fault — rough handling of the teats — inflicts j snch pirn that a cow. naturally gentle, | will not endure th<> mihetion and will kick, and an impatient milkman ma} thus soon rnin a spiiifced and valuable cow. The operation of milking should be always performed gently an 1 at the same time as exp-'ditiou-ds .is practicable, without hum md rou<h handling' on the one \\m\\, an I on 'he ot'ier without lov en ni,'. triniDc insist that there should be silence, whde otiteis do not object to conversation, if not boisterous. The way to perform this important operation to tue best advantage will suggest itself to intelligent miii'ls. j^o rough usage or violence should be permitted on any account ; gentleness is indispcnsible. In the ca^e of a young cow or heifer with her first calf, no iiijndicious " help '' slum! i be allowed to milk her. Sue will soon learn wha f . is required of her if kindness and gentleness are employed, and stand quietly when inilke.t, but if site is abu^eu and excite it will prove a niiai'ortune which may never be remelied. The .subject is one which deserves more attention than is usually given to it. — American paper.