The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1889-01-10
KEEP MILK CLEAN.
The Most Important Thing About Well.
Regulated Dairy.

The Most Important Thing About = Well.
Regulated Dairy.
There are many things about the
dairy that need intelligence and care
in their management but there is
nothing Of such paramount importance
as that of cleanliness with the milk.
Have you ever thought why nature
should have made milk white in-
stead Of some other color that
would not show the presence Of dirt SO
readily? One object must have been
to put US on our guard against allow
ing it to become contaminated with tho
natural dirt of the stable. II men
should manufacture any thing SO deli
cate in its nature as milk it would
seem the very height Of folly to bring
it in contact with such dangerous sur
roundings ms are to be found in even
the best kept COW stables, and yet they
seem to think nothing of this danger
when it comes to drawing the milk
from the COW.
1t is only in the rarest instances that
sufficient care is taken to clean the
udders Of cows before the milking is
begun. Washing Or brushing the
,udder is seldom done, every thing
seems TO be left for the strainer to look
after, which is q very poor reliance, as
may be seen by examining the sedi-
ment left in the bottom Of glass Of
milk that has been allowed to stand
for any length Of time. We know
there is dust, dandruff. hair and other
things flying through the air while the
COW is being MIXED, and a great deal
Of 1t will get into the pail no matter
how careful you are. Most Of these
can he removed before much danger is
done ii there is a thorough system Of
straining practiced, but If the slight
est amount OF manure, that Is always
In too close proximity to the pail. gets
into the milk it Immediately dissolves
and can never be removed.
With reasonable care even the small
est Jumps Of manure can be kept out Of
the milk, but ifthe practice is followed
in milking of dipping the finger in the
pail to moisten the teats it will soon be
seen how the dirt from the teats works
into kind OF lather on the hands and
drips into the milk. We have often
seen mems hands look rs though they
had been painted with manure after
milking half dozen cows, aud tho
thought crossed our minds how can
mOrtals drink the milk that comes
from such source. II you insist upon
wetting the teats then be sure and have
pail Of fresh water to wash the hands
after milking each cow SO as to save
the milk as much as possible.
So far as the strainers are concerned
they need al! the intelligent care you
can give them and far more than they
generally get The clothes used for
this purpose must be boiled and boiled
and boiled to keep them clean. Not
only this, but they must be aired and
summed and then thrown away or used
for other purposes long before they
become rancid and old. Nothing but the
hottest kind OF water will keep them
clean, and there must be q number oil
them SO that they can be changed two
or three times during each milking.
The necessity for this will be seen
when it is remembered that il small
lump OF manure or other Objectionable
matter gets into the strainer each pail
OF milk poured through it washes this
stuff into the milk SO that the first dirt
received will all be washed into the
milk unless the cloth is changed often.
The point to be observed is to bear
in mind always that pure milk and dirt
can not come in contact without cer-
tain injury to the milk, and that the
two are always in dangerous proximity
at the COW stable. You should. there
fore, use the greatest care to keep them
apart to begin with. and then separate
them SO soon as possible by taking the
milk from the stable just as soon as il
can be done. Human ingenuity has
done all in its power to keep these two
enemies. milk and dirt. apart. but
there is nothing like eternal vigilance
to accomplish this end, and no matter
how much the care and trouble may be,
the reward is sure in producing finer
and more salable dairy product
american Dairyman.
1t is more important to save the
liquids than the solids OF manure.
Use nrOD0r absOrbents and nsa fhann