The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1898-09-08
! Producing Milk in Hot Weather

CAICuldT NO. IL, 1llluOlS CXpSImSus
Station: Without doubt more filth
is consumed in milk than in any other
article OF food. When taking a glass
of it how frequently something IS
found at the bottom that is anything
but inviting, speaking all to plainly Of
the methods of thu dsiryman. But
not all contamination is sediment and
milk may be far from pure even
though there be no foreign matter Wis
ible to the naked eye. Milk sours be-
cause Of the presence of certain kinds
OF bacteria, which, acting upon the
sugar Of the milk, change it into Tactic
acid. Other organisms cause different
changes, some offensive to taste and
smell and a few dangerous to health.
These bacteria are living organisms.
though SO extremely minute that ESQ
Of them placed side by side are equal
only to the thickness of ordinary writ
ing paper. While thorough strainins
will remove all visible filth the finer
particles and the bacteria will be wash
ed through even the best Of strainers.
! Milk in the udder of a healthy cow
could be drawn and handled without
contamination would remain sweet
and wholesome for an indefinite length
Of time. However, bacteria accumu-
late and multiply in such places As
mud holes, manure heaps, seams OF
utensils not thoroughly cleansed, Or
where animal or vegetable matter not
living is exposed to warmth and mOis-
ture. They are present In dirt and
dust Of every description, and because
Of their great numbers and their wide
diffusion no practical method has yet
been devised by which milk may be
drawn absolutely free from contain
ination with living germs. Yet they
are unnecessarily numerous in milk
as ordinarily drawn because it Con-
tains thousand times more bacteria
than that which may be obtained by
using extreme care in regard to clean
ing everything about dairy scrupu-
lousy clean, particularly in hot wealth
er when conditions are especially favor
able to bacterial growth. Clean milk
will not only remain sweet longer, but
as every one knows is more whole
some food. II it were more fully real
lied that milk Is a food and not SIM
ply commercial commodity 1t would
seem that dairymen would not allow
so much filth to get into it. There are
four principal ways by which milk
becomes impure, and it is subjected 20
all Of these before it leaves the stable.
The Cow.-This is the greatest source
of contamination. When cows are kept
in a filthy stable, as is frequently the
case, they are often covered with dust
at milking time, and their sides, TANKS,
bellies, and udders are sometimes plas-
tered with manure. Cows in this con-
dition cannot be MIXED without seri-
ously communicating the product. They
should be kept clean at all times, and
this is not so difficult to do If the
managers are properly arranged. the
stalls of the right length, and a fair
amount of bedding is used. All loose
dirt should be brushed from the cows
and the udders should be washed and
wiped before milking.
The Stable.-After seeing cows
crowded in certain dungeons of filth,
which are called stables, containing
only one or two small windows for
light and ventilation, it is not surpris-
ing that SO much impure milk is pro-
duced, and that diseases, especially
have gained foothold
in so many herds. Often the sides of
the stable and stalls are plastered with
dung and not cleaned for years at a
time. Frequently the old bedding In
the stalls and the refuse in the
managers are r.. thoroughly removed
from one.year's end to another, leav-
ing quantity of dust to be repeatedly
stirred up. II the cows are in the
stable a greater part of the time, the
dung, should be removed at least twice |
} day, and the stable should be so
arranged that there is an abundance |
Of light and good ventilation, even in
coolest weather, without causing a
draft directly upon the animals. The |
floor and hangers should be cleaned
and the walls and stalls
scrubbed and whitewashed as often as
hey become dirty, but bedding and |
dry fodder should not be moved just |
previous to milking, as this makes
dust which settles into the milk carry |
Ing with 1t many bacteria. The air |
outside is usually comparatively free |
lrom germs, and the better the ventila-
ion the fewer germs will the stable
air contain.
The Milker-Many times the mixer
goes to his task after brushing horses
,r doing other dirty work, with his |
hands soiled and his clothing thickly
severed with dust. Both soiled hands
md dusty clothing are loaded with
germs that injure milk. Before COM