Rensselaer Union, Volume 11, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 December 1878 — Good Milkers. [ARTICLE]

Good Milkers.

The above caution we purpose to use in two senses—first as applied to cows. The breeders of “milking strains of blood” in the various kinds of cattle, when their stock is put on sale, give statistics of milking qualities which, in some instances, are quite startling. It is worth while when one is starting a herd of cattle intending to grow into something excellent for daily purposes, to look well to the “ strain of blood” pedigree and all that, and not to forget, the milking statistics; but one fact must not be forgotten, and it is this, that all good breeds are originated by extra care as well as selection. The majority of people who buy cows, purchase for their own use one or two. They want good milkers, and let it be said in their favor that it is not all-important that they should search the hera-books or study the families to aid in this selection. Through the country are scattered grade cattle of merit as milkers, and mahy of them are outside of any connection with the prominent milking families. Once get hold of a comj that under ordinary treatment gives a good quantity of milk and of fair quality, and then give her the extra attention that the breeders give their cows which are “fed for statistics” and a record can be made that will astonish the owner. Other things being equal, it is the feed (hat makes the rank. The reason that we hafe no better average of milkers through the country is that we have very few good feeders. The question should not be “ how little feed can I employ and get through?” but “ how much feed of the proper quality can I employ to increase the flow of milk?” There is something in breeds, to be sure, but the fact must not be ignored that proper food and discretionary feeding are at the bases of all the breeds. We know of numbers of instances when single cows through extra care have made great milk records. Truly, it may be argued by the breeders of fine stock, these cows’ progeny may not inherit the milking qualities of the mothers, and hence are worthless breeders. This may be true, but as long as among all the cattle that are put upon the market we can buy cows of excellent milking qualities, and we are not going into the breeding business, we must not decry a good milker without a pedigree or a name better than “oldSukie,” for the sake of elevating one no better whose grandmother was a Duchess and whose grandfather was a Duke. The proposition we wish to make emphatic is that a good milker must have good care, good feed and plenty of it, and to her owner, who cares only for the milk, her name or parentage is of little consequence. The second sense in which we use our headline refers to those who draw the milk from the cows. We have known cows to give very poor milk in small quantity simply because it was drawn by poor hands. It is certainly “ something of a trick ” to milk a cow properly. The man who talks loud, storms at his cow if she moves, kicks her if she does not “ hoist,” and will stop when half done to tell a story before finishing, never ought to own a cow or have a drink of good milk. The maid who, with unkept pail and dirtv hands, and head full of dreams, dallies at her milking and leaves a part of the milk undrawn, will never be successful as a dairywoman. It requires common sense, kindness, quick movement and interest in the work to make a good milker. One who hates to milk should never have it to do. It is a credit to any farmer's boy or girl to be able to draw the milk from a cow expeditiously, thoroughly and neatly, but among them all there are very few that can do it. — Detroit Free Press.