The Cornell University Computing Center used to be the center of the universe. This also means that for industry, there is room and opportunity to step in with different electronic programs and equipment to help dairy management. Two new electronic devices and developments deserve special discussion here, because they may have considerable bearing on dairy farmer income here and worldwide, even including the ancillary industries with dairy goats and dairy sheep. Electronic developments are trying to come to the aid of struggling dairy farmers in these areas. Yet there are promising beginnings.
Various factors influence electrical conductivity in milk.
With advancing stage of lactation, the concentration of sodium salts increases and that of potassium salts decreases, while they are both high in the beginning of lactation. Thus, a high electrical conductivity in the beginning and towards the end of lactation is explained by the changing salt concentrations in milk. Other influencing factors are breed of cow, milking interval in hours and individuality of cows. Age and feeding does not seem to matter much. What does matter, however, is the changing concentration of the salts and lactose during mastitic, subclinical and clinical infections of udder quarters.