The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1894-02-20
AT MILKING TIME.
Letting a Ray of Sunlight Into the Cow
GtahIa-

Stable.
1t would be a valuable object lesson
| to great many butter makers if a stream
of clear sunlight could fall upon the air
above the milk pals when their cows are
being MIXED, particularly when the cows
have been lying down in the stable since
the previous milking. If the clouds of
falling dust, dirt and actual filth could
then be seen las it could be seen in many
stables were the light thus turned on),
there ought to be no further uncertainty
| in the minds of these careless-to use no
stronger word-persons as to the poor
keeping qualities of their butter, its fire.
auent "off'' flavor and its generally in
| ferior character, though a knowledge OF
this inferior character usually comes by
way of those who buy the butter, as
those who make it appear very frequent
ly blind to its imperfections. 1t is use
less to expect to secure a prime quality
of butter by paying strict attention to
the matters of temperature, ripening of
the cream, churning and scrupulous
cleanliness in all the operations of but
ter making, highly important as are all
these things, if filth has been allowed to
get into the milk during the process of
milking.
am quite sure that butter makers are
to very large extent unmindful of this
most serious cause of failure, or more
vigorous measures would be taken to
bring the milk from the stables free from
impurities. How many farmers carefully
sweep off daily the floors on which their
COWS lie to keep the filthy dust from ac-
cumulating beneath them, to become
mingled in their coats every time they
lie down, only to be shaken out in clouds
often invisible clouds, owing to the
semidarkness of the cattle stalls-when-
ever the process of milking occursf How
many farmers thoroughly brush the
sides and the whole under portion Of
each COW before she is MIXED to say
nothing of washing the udder and wip-
ing it thoroughly with towel?
Well, from my observation, | fear the
number is limited. 1t is much more
common to see the farmer or his hired
men enter the stable in the morning,
scrape the manure back into the gutter,
more to keep from soiling their own feet
apparently than for any other reason,
then with a few passes of the hand across
the cows udder begin the process of
milking, the dust sitting down into the
pail with every movement of the hands.
What does it mean when settings" are
found at the bottom of every pan of
milk; when the strainer of the strainer
pail becomes continually clogged; when
the milk has frequently what is errone-
ously styled ''cowy" odor?
Without mincing matters any, it
means that there is manure in the milk,
and if it were actually known how little
milk is carried from the stables of the
land without having in it a greater or
less quantity of such filth it would make
great many people shudder, including
some of the butter makers themselves.
What is the use of people saying or
thinking it is only little fine dust that
gets into the milk PAM Where did the
dust come from, and of what is 1t COM
posed? It is simply the excrement of the
cattle, dried and pulverized by the con-
slant action of their feet.
But this is not all. The mixers hands
very commonly come to the milking task
unwashed. And in the slovenly way in
which much milking is done their hands
are wet again and again with the milk,
by which many impurities are conveyed
into the milk pail. 1t is by such a
wretched kind of milk that thousands
fail to secure good butter, and am con-
fident that very large per cent OF these
would change their course of action
were the matter made plain before their
eyes. Hence have not minced matters
in calling attention to the subject.
The utmost cleanliness must be prac-
ticed in the whole milking process if
good butter is to be secured. Strict at
tention must be paid to all the details of
butter making, but this is one of the
most important of all. The COW stalls
should be carefully and thoroughly
swept each day and the cows thoroughly
brushed at least 10 minutes before milk
ing, particular attention being paid to
brushing the udder, if washing that or
gan appears to the dairyman's mind to
be altogether out of the question.
But if the mixer shifts at the idea of
thus washing the COW he should at least
be willing to wash his own hands care
fully before sitting down to the task.
The manure having been all removed
from the gutter and some dry loan or
plaster scattered over the moist surface
of the plank or cement, and the whole
apartment well aired, the work of milk
ing may be carried ON in clearly man
mill
big money.-Practical Dairyman.