milch cow

[Buchmann]

My understanding of midwestern farming usage circa 1950 was :

MILK COWS = 'cows of milk giving breeds' = DAIRY CATTLE;
MILKING COW = 'a cow kept to provide milk for a family'
                                        [of non dairy farmers];
MILCH COW = 'a milk cow actually giving milk.'

- Alois Buchmann


GSCole wrote:

> Relatives of mine, with large dairy farms, and those with small farms
> for that matter, speak of a 'milk cow'.  I've never asked them to write
> down the word, but they pronounce the word much as they would in
> reference to a glass of milk.  Speakers are from both Delaware and
> Northeast Maryland.
> Milking cows is the phrase for a group of milk cows.  I don't know why;
> of course, I've never understood the in-print use of milch cow either.
> Perhaps 'milking cows' is the phrase to use for those cows giving milk
> that can be (or is) sold to a dairy co-op?  Sort of a balance sheet
> term, in reference to the asset base of a farm.
> George S. Cole  gscole at ark.ship.edu
> Shippensburg University