advertisement to the effect that objections may be lodged with the Board, formal objections to byelaws were only received in six instances. The structural provisions of the model byelaws are placed under three headings (1) Pertaining to Cowsheds or Byres; (2) Pertaining to Milk Stores, and (3) Pertaining to Dairy Premises generally. There are 18 byelaws within these three headings; the remainder, comprising 22 byelaws, deal with the prevention of impurities in milk; general cleanliness; and precautions against infection and contamination. In the byelaws as sub mitted by local authorities the greatest divergences from thẻ model form are to be found in the structural byelaws. It is satisfactory to note that almost all local authorities have adopted in their entirety the whole series of byelaws governing cleanliness, though of course slight omissions and alterations occur. It cannot be too strongly emphasised that such requirements as those in regard to the washing of hands before milking and the removal of milk from the byre at the earliest possible moment are as important as any structural requirements. Our policy in confirming the byelaws has been to give the utmost consideration to the dairying industry, and the communications to local authorities have as often pressed for alterations involving the reduction of expense as for an increase in possible expenditure. Local circumstances were taken into account in every case. (a) Floors. In regard to the floors of byres, flagstones were appropriately proposed by the County of Caithness as an addition to the concrete, asphalt and granolithic mentioned in model byelaw 5. In some other northern districts causeway grouted with cement to form a smooth surface was adopted. (b) Grips.-The byelaw dealing with the grips of byres gave a great deal of trouble. In some cases, apparently where the ground outside the byre was more or less exposed rock, the local authority pressed for an open channel rather than a properly trapped drain outside the byre. The direction of the fall in the breadth of the grip also gave some trouble, In the case of new byres it was generally arranged that the fall should be towards the passage, and it was also arranged that the depth at the stall side should be materially greater than the depth at the passage, so raising the level of the stall above the level of the passage. In every case it has been provided that floors and grips are to be of such construction that no foul liquid matter can percolate into the soil. The amount of slope (a) in the length of the grip, and (b) in the breadth of the grip, also gave rise to contention. Farmers naturally desire it to be as little as possible, owing to the possibility that cows may slip as they walk to the stall. This possibility, and other considerations of convenience and necessity in the dairying industry, have to be borne in mind. (c) Lofts. The question of lofts over byres presented difficulty owing to the fact that three classes of byres had to be considered :-(1) newly-erected byres; (2) byres reconstructed from existing premises, and (3) existing byres. There appears to be a general objection to lofts over byres on the part of local authorities and their officers, partly because of the difficulty of obtaining sufficient ventilation; partly because of the defective nature of the floor of most lofts, encouraging dust and cobwebs; and in some cases because such lofts are used as henhouses and become foul-smelling and filthy. The model byelaw prohibits lofts over new byres, and this provision has been adopted everywhere. In some cases it was provided that where a loft existed in buildings that were to be reconstructed for use as a byre a clear space should be provided, above the heads of the cows, communicating with ventilators in the roof or outer wall. In another series of byelaws communication between existing loft and byre was permitted by means of an enclosed stair and door. (d) Trevisses.-It was well understood that in many byres the trevisses were of wood, and no doubt where the wood has been thoroughly prepared such trevisses may pass muster. An effort was made, however, to prohibit the use of wood for trevisses in new byres. In one or two cases it was provided that trevisses and troughs which were in the opinion of the local authority unsuitable should be renewed within three years from the date of confirmation of the byelaws. (e) Lighting.-The model byelaw dealing with lighting was accountable for extraordinary variations. The byelaw specifies a light-giving area for new and also for existing byres. At an early date the two Boards agreed to press for a minimum lightgiving area in landward districts of 13 square feet per cow in existing byres and 2 square feet in new byres. For burghs the corresponding figures agreed on were 2 square feet and 3 square feet respectively. These figures are by no means excessive, especially as the Ministry of Agriculture in their pamphlet " The Construction of Cowhouses specify 3 square feet per cow. Though at the time the figures agreed on did not seem to represent a very high standard, it is to the credit of the dairying county of Dumfries, which was ready with its byelaws at an early date, that these figures were adopted. They furnished an example to other local authorities, and an encouragement to the two Boards to ask for as much in other cases. a good many districts and even burghs, however, the utmost difficulty was experienced in securing the adoption of 13 square feet per cow in existing byres, and the two Boards, with great reluctance, had to countenance the adoption in several cases of 1 square foot per cow. In such cases the figure of 2 square feet per cow has usually been adopted for new byres. In In support of the request for 1 square foot per cow of window space, the opinion of agriculturists was advanced in several cases to the effect that such an amount of light was quite satisfactory. In another case it was thought advisable to ask for a report by the county medical officer of health, as in this case it was a burgh local authority (of which he was medical officer of health) that put forward the proposal of 1 square foot of light space per cow. The county medical officer of health and the county sanitary inspector visited byres of various sizes and stated that rooflights 20 inches by 14 inches for each two cows gave satisfactory light. The report was dated 3rd December. Circumstances, of course, differ, and where, for instance, the windows are all in the roof, there will be more light than where the windows are low in the wall or partly in a northern wall, and similarly if the windows are kept clean. The figure of 1 square foot per cow can only be considered passable if every circumstance is in its favour. The production of milk in an insufficient light is a direct encouragement of dirt, and a small amount of window space entails a small amount of cleansing sunlight. In striking contrast to the provision of 1 square foot per cow was the demand made by Kirkcaldy district for the figure of 3 square feet per cow in existing byres. The two Boards were not prepared of their own accord to diminish this figure, particularly as a creditable effort had been made over a long period of years in the Kirkcaldy district to raise the standard of dairying, and as in the Ministry of Agriculture's pamphlet the figure of 3 square feet of light is given as a suitable figure. Objections were, however, lodged against this provision. The local authority were then invited to reconsider the matter, in view of the statement made that some byres, otherwise suitable, would require a measure of reconstruction to comply with the byelaw. The local authority, however, declined to diminish the requirement, and in view of the objections received, and of the figures adopted elsewhere, we decided to exercise our power of disallowing 3 square feet per cow, and the figure of 2 square feet per cow for existing byres was inserted in the byelaws. In the case of one small burgh a window space of 4 square feet per cow for new byres was confirmed. The erection of new byres in such burghs is, of course, infrequent. An undesirable provision that "all new light shall be placed below the ties if possible" was inserted in some byelaws. This would have prevented the adoption of a ridge ventilating system which incidentally provided more light, and the provision was dropped. It (f) Ventilation.-The model byelaw which deals with ventilation was generally adopted without much alteration. requires cowsheds to be properly ventilated so as to keep the air in a fresh and wholesome condition, and a sufficient supply of fresh air is to be ensured to each animal by the placing, construction and maintenance of openings to the satisfaction of the local authority. It is to be hoped that in future a hot, steamy atmosphere in a byre will not be tolerated. One or two local authorities insisted on specifying the superficial area of the inlets and outlets. (g) Cubic and Floor Space, Width of Passage and Grip, &c.The model byelaw which deals with these matters provided the largest number and the greatest degree of variation. It has always been a rule to require a larger standard of cubic and floor space in byres within burghs, and in many of the burghs 600 and even 800 cubic feet per cow have been specified, along with 50 square feet or so. Town byres, of course, usually conduct a profitable retail sale of milk, and the great majority have already attained the standards laid down. The case is very different in remote parts of the dairying counties, where the milk is made into cheese, or from which it is transported to the distant cities at a considerable reduction on profitable wholesale prices. Accordingly when the districts of Dumfriesshire put forward the minimum figures of 350 cubic feet per cow in existing byres and 500 cubic feet per in new byres, it was recognised that in the light of modern knowledge as well as of current conditions these figures were not unsuitable. An extra allowance of room does not ensure a clean milk supply, which depends on clean methods and equipment, along with sufficient room for cows and cleanliness. The health of the cows too does not depend so much on large cubic space as on proper use of the space provided, whether large or small. The minimum floor space agreed to in the case of Dumfriesshire was 30 square feet per cow in existing and 35 square feet in new byres. A sustained attempt was made to maintain the standard of 350 cubic feet in existing byres. The only districts in which it was found advisable to relax even this low figure were the three wards of Lanarkshire. The position of matters revealed in that county gave cause for serious consideration. A deputation from the local branch of the National Farmers' Union was received, along with representatives of the local authorities, and a large number of suggestions were considered. Some of these were agreed to by the local authorities at the suggestion of the Board, but perhaps the most serious point that emerged was was that there were a considerable number of byres in use (few of them the principal byres in any steading, but rather supplementary byres) that were built at a standard of less than 350 cubic feet, and even, in some cases, less than 30 square feet per cow. Concessions on these points were asked for by the National Farmers' Union. In the light of this information the figures of animals slaughtered in Lanarkshire under the Tuberculosis Order during the year-301, or almost a sixth of all the animals slaughtered in Scotland-received additional emphasis. No doubt the energetic veterinary inspector of the county had made a special effort to get rid of tuberculous animals, but the same could be said of Ayrshire, where there were more cattle. It was eventually arranged with the Board of Agriculture that N in regard to cubic space the following proviso should be suggested to the local authorities : 66 In exceptional circumstances, and if they are satisfied that sustained measures are being undertaken to ensure the production of clean milk, the local authority may, if they think fit, and to such an extent as shall appear to them proper, modify the requirements of the first paragraph of this byelaw in regard to air space of existing byres, but in no case shall any byre contain less air space than 300 cubic feet per cow." In regard to floor space it was decided not to recommend the local authorities to reduce the figure of 30 square feet per cow. This byelaw specifies also the minimum width of passage and grips. The Dumfriesshire figures, which have been used as a suitable basis, are : 7 feet. Minimum width of passage and two grips in an existing ... ... ... Minimum width of passage and grip in an existing single headed byre... ... ... ... ... 5 feet. 6 feet. Minimum width of passage and grip in a new single-headed byre These or any other widths are specified, except with the express permission of the local authority," because there is little possibility of increasing them, and the byre may be in other respects suitable. The height of walls is usually specified as 8 feet, or 7 feet in existing and 8 in new byres, and in no case is any height over 16 feet to be reckoned in the calculation of cubic space. (h) Methods. The byelaws requiring the provision of washbasins, soap and towels, the thorough washing of hands and forearms of milkers and others, and the provision of overalls, have been almost universally adopted, and it is to be hoped that every effort will be made to enforce them. 8. Exemption from the Byelaws.-The Act provides for exemption of those who sell milk to neighbours or persons in their employment, but confers no exemption on those who sell small quantities of butter or cheese and perhaps sell no milk. Shortly after the Act came into operation it became clear that the number of such persons was very great. Shepherds and cottars in outlying districts, who have no market for surplus milk and who keep a cow or two in order to supply themselves and perhaps other workers, or their employers, with milk, commonly make some butter when the flush of milk is on, and dispose of it to the grocer. Many farmers whose principal business is the rearing of stock have some butter for sale during a short season. In other cases the farmer's wife may be responsible for the manufacture of butter during a short period of the year, and the price is her own perquisite. |