The bee., 1883-04-28

The influence Of the character of the
food used upon the character of the
milk has received during the past two
months considerable attention at the
New York agricultural experiment
station. Bulletin No. 33 is a report of
results.
1t seems certain that the influence
Of the food is TO be detected more
readily in the churning of the butter
from the milk than from the study of
the actual butter fat in the milk. Thus
during forty-eight days trial, from
January to February Is, under diff
ferent kinds of food, the percentage of
fat in the milk, according to analysis,
varied from 4.47 TO 5.99; the percent
age Of butter as obtained by the churn
varied from 2.40 to 5.97. From these
figures it will be seen that the varfa-
tion in the butter obtained is here
greater than in the variation in the fat
in the milk. Taking the average of
the last three days of each period of
feeding, in order to obtain the influence
of food upon the butter and the fat,
the fat percentage varied from 4.87 TO
5.87, while she per cent. of butter OBJ
tanned varied from 3.42 to 5F8. Or,
expressing these facts in another
form, while the variation betw en-
the maximum and minimum de-
termination for the fat was but
nineteen per cent. from the average,
the variation in the amounts of butter
obtained was fifty-two per cent. from
the average. However the figures were
investigated, the same fact appears
evident, and at first DIR. SturUevant
was inclined to ascribe this difference
in the butter obtained t. the imperfec-
tion of the process of churning. Upon
consultation, however, with expert
enced butter makers, he found that
this fact Of the variability of the milk
In the churn from day TO day had been
already noticed. Thus during the
famous trial of the Jersey COW
Bomba," in 1882, when twenty-one
pounds eleven ounces of butter were
obtained in seven days from z05 pounds
six ounces of milk, while the average
percentage of butter obtained for the
seven days period was 1886 per cent.
vet the daily percentage varied from
9.43 to 1924 per cent, or variation Of
twenty-seven per cent. from the average.
Other experiments cited 10y DIR. Sturte-
want appear TO substantiate the con-
clusions drawn from his own expert
ence, that the percentage of butter OBJ
tanned varies far more than does the
analysis of the milk.
Whilethe phenomenal cow, "Bomba, !"
yielded 1886 per cent. of butter during
the seven days of her trial, the factory
yield of the state seems, SO far as data
at hand will determine, TO be slightly
over four per cent. of butter, or, if
the salt used be excluded, about four
pounds of butter to the hundred
pounds of milk. In 1871 six fa tories
in the State report from 3.97 to 4S3
per cent. of butter, while from 1871 to
1873, inclusive, the average for sixteen
factories was 4.32 per cent.
DIR. Sturtevant therefore infers, until
further data shall modify his opinion,
that whatever herd yields to the but
ter-maker less than four pounds of
butter to the 100 pounds Of milk is
below the average product of the
State. and whatever herd yields more
than this quantity is above the aver
age for the State. The station herd
during the trial yielded upon the aver
age, with different foods, 448 pounds
of unsalted butter TO the 100 pounds
of milk. While with this average for