The bee., 1883-04-14
Inauence Of Food Upon NTIlk.

Influence of Food Upon Milk.
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 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 10y the churn
varied from 2.40 to 5.97. From these
figures it will be seen that the yaria-
ton 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.S7 to
5.87, while h = per cent. of butter OBJ
tanned varied from 3.42 to 5TS. Or,
expressing these facts in another
form, while the variation betwe 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 imperfgc-
ton 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
"Bomha," in 1882, when twenty-one
pounds eleven ounces of butter were
obtained in seven days from EOS pounds
six ounces of milk, while the average
percentage Of butter obtained for the
seven days period was 1856 per cent
yet the daily percentage varied from
9.43 TO 1924 per cent, or variation Of
twenty-seyen per cent.from the average
Other experiments cited by DR.. 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 tn,
analysis of the milk
While phenomenal COW, "Bomba,
yielded 1856 per cent. Of butter during
the seven days Of her trial, the factury
yield of the State seems, SO far as dat;
at hand will determine, to be slightl,
over four per cent. of butter, or, il
the salt used be excluded, about foul
pounds of butter t. the hundred
pounds Of milk. In 1871 six fact0rie
in the State report from 3.97 to As;
per cent. of butter, while from 1871 tx
1873, inclusive, the average for siXteer
factories was 4.32 per cent.
DR.. Sturtevant therefore infers unit
further data shall modify his opinion
that whatever herd yields to the but
ter-maker less than four pounds ot
butter to the 100 pounds Of milk i
below the average product of tn
State, and whatever herd yields NOR
than this quantity is above the aver
age for the State. The station herr
during the trial yielded upon the aver
age, with different foods, 4.4S pound
of unsalted butter to the 100 pound
of milk. While with this average fol
the period, yet the influence of foo'
seems to have vari the product from
3.64 pounds of butter TO 5.47 pound!
of butter to the 100 pounds of milk
He also at present assumes that th
yield of butter from herd is governe(
by the breed or by the selection of thi
animal and by the character of the foo(
supplied, and that the influence of th'
food seems more marked toward in
fueEcing the butter product thar
toward influencing the absoute rich
ness of the milk.
Taking the last three days of eacl
period of feeding, in order to ellminat
the influence of the mere change o
food which shows during the first da.
or so. he illustrates the influence Of tn
food by grouping results in the follow
ing table: