School: Liathdruim (roll number 1125)

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1. The Care of Our Farm Animals (continued)

   

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   or byre. His byre has a concrete floor, and there is room for eight cows, four at each end. Each cow is tied to stake by a chain round the neck, though some farmers prefer to tie with a rope round the cow's horns.

   The chain or rope is fastened to a ring, which can move freely up and down the stake. His stakes are round iron bars, about two inches in diameter. They are fastened into two beams which stretch from side to side of the byre into each wall. One of those beams near the ground serves as a rack or manger. He buys the "tyings." Some people hang a horse-shoe upside down for luck over the cow-house door, others hand up a sacred picture the place above the cows' heads.

   When milking a cow the milker should sing or "croon," as this makes the cow yield her milk more freely. Another custom in this locality is to put a two-shilling piece in the milking vessel when a cow is being milked for the first time. Some people believe that if a person passes near the place where milking is going on and does not speak, such a person will steal the milk.

   He keeps his horse in a stable. This stable is fitted with a manger and corn-box. A halter is used to tie the horse to a ring in the manger.

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. activities
      1. economic activities
         1. agriculture (~2,659)
            1. animal husbandry (~2,587)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Mary Ryan

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Leitrim, Co. Leitrim