are of the Cow.= As the cow is one of the best money-makers on the
farm, she should, for this reason, if for no other, be comfortably
housed, well fed and watered, and most kindly treated. In your thoughts
for her well-being, bear the following directions in mind:

1. If you are not following a balanced ration, feed each day several
different kinds of food. In this way you will be least likely to waste
food.

2. Feed at regular hours. Cows, like people, thrive best when their
lives are orderly.

3. Milk at regular hours.

4. Brush the udder carefully with a moist cloth before you begin to
milk. Cleanliness in handling makes the milk keep longer.

5. Always milk in buckets or cups that have been scalded since the last
using. The hot water kills the bacteria that collect in the dents or
cracks of the utensil.

6. Never let the milk pail remain in the stable. Milk rapidly absorbs
impurities. These spoil the flavor and cause the milk to sour.

7. Never scold or strike the cow. She is a nervous animal, and rough
usage checks the milk flow.

[Illustration]

[Illustration: THREE GENERATIONS OF HIGH-BRED COWS]

SECTION LXI. MILK, CREAM, CHURNING, AND BUTTER

=Milk.= Milk is, as you know, nature's first food for mammals. This is
because milk is a model food--it contains water to slake thirst, ash to
make bone, protein to make flesh and muscle, and fat and sugar to keep
the body warm and to furnish energy.

=The Different Kinds of Milk.= Whole, or unskimmed, milk, skimmed milk,
and buttermilk are too familiar to need description. When a cow is just
fresh, her milk is called _colostrum_. Colostrum is rich in the very
food that the baby calf needs. After the calf is a few days old,
colostrum changes to what is commonly known as milk.

The following table shows the composition of each of the different forms
of milk:

=======================================================
| DIGESTIBLE MATTER IN 100 POUNDS
|----------------------------------
COMPOSITION OF MILK | Dry |Protein|Carbohydrates| Fat
|matter| | |
-------------------------------------------------------
Colostrum | 25.4 | 17.6 | 2.7 | 3.6
Milk (unskimmed) | 12.8 | 3.6 | 4.9 | 3.7
Skimmed milk | 9.4 | 2.9 | 5.2 | 1.3
Buttermilk | 9.9 | 3.9 | 4.0 | 1.1
=================================