How Long To Milk Heifers

C. asks how long heifers should be müked with the first calf, coming in at two years. We understand C. to ask whether the heifer should be müked longer or shorter than older cows. We think there are many reasons for giving such heifers a long season of milking. As we have often urged thut cows should be liabituated to yield milk ten months, and as thia quality of holding out well depends eonsiderably upon food and training to that end, the heifer should be fed liberally, and milked carefully, to induce a long season of lactation. It is important, first, to establish this habit, and cause her to respondió liberal feeding; secondly, it is better to postpone the time of her second calf to the end of 15 to 18 months, allowmg her to recover from early matemity. We think the heifer with her first cait snouici aiways De miiKea at least 12 months continuously, and better 16 months, and then go dry three months before dropping her second calf. We flnd, from many experiments.that you may thus develop her milking quality, and lengthen the milking season, which are most important considerations. W3 know it is the habit of some dairymen to give the young heifer a short season, as they say, not to task her too much while so young. If all cows held out their milk equally, and could aiways be milked, with a good flow, for ten months, when desired, no matter when dried off at other times, this point of rest for the heifer might have great force. But such is not the f act ; and one of the greatest defects in cows generally is their milking so short a period, and drying off at seven or eight months, in spite of all elïorts to prolong the season. This too frequently is caused by the bad habit of drying off heif ers early. We do not advise meagre feeding and long milking, but generous feeding, such as will develop the whole system, and complete the growth of the young cow. A large milker must be a large eater and digester of food; and the heifer should have her digestión developed as well as her milk secretions. We favor heif era coming in at two years old, because when they conie in at three years, if they have been well fed, the surplus blood has been diverted to the laying on of flesh and fat, whilst if they had been giving milk, the surplus would have gone to the udder, and thus established and developed this most important part of ber secretory system. But heifers, if well fed, will not deplete their own systems to yield milk, as only surplus fooa is devoted to that purpose. But experiment proves that the milk seeretions may be developed in the young heifer by judicious feeding, as well as the fat and flesh secietions when not