Altlunigli the calf, under tlie present detestable arrange-
ment, has to suck a little before the cow will give down her
milk, it should never be allowed to suck again, or, in fact, to
do more than bring down the milk. After the cow has been
milked (jidte dn/, it may be allowed to finish up. The prac-
tice of leaving “ something,” equivalent in the cowman’s
mind to “ ck limn (one teat), for the calf, invariably ends in
semi-starvation for the poor little beast. It is no uncommon
sight to see a really fine cow followed by a wretched, starve-
ling, stunted call, covered Irom head to foot with the scab
from sheer weakness. Such a sight is a disgrace to the mistress
who allows such cruelty to be done in her name. The cow-
man covers the result of his own theft or neglect, viz., a
diminution of milk, by encroaching on the already scanty
allowance left for the calf, which is often thus reduced to a
mere drop or two ; nor does he attempt to stay its hunger by
giving it linseed tea or gruel. The only certain plan, there-
fore, is to have your cow milked dry, and then give a regular
allowance for the calf, which, after a day or two, will learn to
drink from a tin kettle as if it had been born to it. Half or
three-(piarters skim-milk, provided it is sweet, may be given
to the calf for the first six weeks, after which it will thrive
capitally on skim alone, especially if a little linseed gruel is
mixed with it. It is well worth the trouble to look after the
calves; foi-, if well nourished, they will sell for from ten to
twenty rupees as yearlings ; whereas, in the ordinary dis-
graceful method, the calf fetches notliing in the market.
The skim-milk must be slightly warmed, and the total allow-
ance for the calf should never be less than three quarts a day
for the first two months. This is less th.an half the English
allowance. If you have not this amount of skim to spare,
make up with linseed, hay tea or siifloo (parched and ground
gram) gruel.
It is most important to secure a good milker as gow-wdla.
The quicker a cow is milked, the more readily she gives down
the supply. The habit of milking witli the thumb bent in to
use as extra pressure is bad. The best cowmen — Maho-
medan goojurs from the lower hills — adopt the English plan
of milking straight with closed fist. Tlie pressure on the
teat is thus even, and tlie risk of hurting the cow lessened
immensely. In fact, ngoojar seldom has to hobble his cow.
Housekeeper and Cook 107
because lie milks as a calf sucks, but the Poorbefih gow-walas
drag and knuckle away till the cow, perforce, becomes restive.
Page 72
Presented as published in 1898. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Although the calf, under the present detestable arrangement, has to suck a little before the cow will give down her milk, it should never be allowed to suck again, or, in fact, to do more than bring down the milk. After the cow has been milked (quite dry, it may be allowed to finish up. The practice of leaving “ something,” equivalent in the cowman's mind to "ek theen (one teat), for the calf, invariably ends in semi-starvation for the poor little beast. It is no uncommon sight to see a really fine cow followed by a wretched, starveling, stunted calf, covered from head to foot with the scab from sheer weakness. Such a sight is a disgrace to the mistress who allows such cruelty to be done in her name. The cowman covers the result of his own theft or neglect, viz., a diminution of milk, by encroaching on the already scanty allowance left for the calf, which is often thus reduced to a mere drop or two ; nor does he attempt to stay its hunger by giving it linseed tea or gruel. The only certain plan, therefore, is to have your cow milked dry, and then give a regular allowance for the calf, which, after a day or two, will learn to drink from a tin kettle as if it had been born to it. Half or three-quarters skim-milk, provided it is sweet, may be given to the calf for the first six weeks, after which it will thrive capitally on skim alone, especially if a little linseed gruel is mixed with it. It is well worth the trouble to look after the calves; foi-, if well nourished, they will sell for from ten to twenty rupees as yearlings ; whereas, in the ordinary disgraceful method, the calf fetches notliing in the market. The skim-milk must be slightly warmed, and the total allowance for the calf should never be less than three quarts a day for the first two months. This is less th.an half the English allowance. If you have not this amount of skim to spare, make up with linseed, hay tea or suffloo (parched and ground gram) gruel.
It is most important to secure a good milker as gow-wdla. The quicker a cow is milked, the more readily she gives down the supply. The habit of milking witli the thumb bent in to use as extra pressure is bad. The best cowmen — Mahomedan goojurs from the lower hills — adopt the English plan of milking straight with closed fist. The pressure on the teat is thus even, and tlie risk of hurting the cow lessened immensely. In fact, gujar seldom has to hobble his cow.
Housekeeper and Cook 107
because he milks as a calf sucks, but the Poorbefih gow-walas drag and knuckle away till the cow, perforce, becomes restive.