The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1899-01-07
DAIRY D n. AND u POULTRY. {. { II
INTERESTING CHAPTERS FOR
Ss OUR RURAL READERS. IL
How Successful Farmers Operate This
Department. of the Earm-A Few
Hints as to the Care OF Live Stock
and Poultry. z>~5 ~ w. IL +..% :~.'
Sweet Curdling OF milk.

curdles in a relatively sweet condi-
tion, writes Prof. H. T.. Russell in
Hoard's ,Dairyman. To the casual OBJ
server, such a curdled or loppered con-
dition. might easily be mistaken for
sour milk, but the diff erence is ap-
parent when the milk is once tasted,
for, as rule, it lacks the acidity that
marks ordinary sour milk. Then,
again, the curdling occurs much earlier
than it does when the milk sours. It
the dairyman carefully notes the ap-
pearance of such loppered milk he will
recognize other difference es> than those
mentioned, as he compares it with the
ordinary Tactic acid fermentations.
The curd produced by the sour milk
fermentation is usually firm and hard,
the casein often shrinking so as to
%,expel some clear whey, while the curd,
in the other case is soft and frequent
~ quite shiny. AS rule, milks that
curdle while sweet, generally undergo
subsequent digestion or dissolution OF
the casein. In such cases the curd
softens and becomes jelly-like, and
finally dissolyes, leaving a turbid
whey. d This .'wheyed orr condition
!. does not usually appear until the milk
= is quite cold. The cause Of these alb
normal changes is in the fact that in
some way or other, various species Of
bacteria gain the upper hand of the
normal Tactic acid fora, and thus sup
plant the sour milk fern entation.
The changes that occur in the milk
the curdling in rel atively sweet
condition, and the subs equent diges-
tion of the curd-are to be explained
as follows: These bacteria have the
power of secreting various unorganized
ferments known as enzymes.. These
substances are also formed abundant
" by the animal body, and are con-
ferned especially in the digestion OF
foods. For instance, pepsin and rennet
are secreted in the stomach of man and
animals, and act on foods in acid solu-
@tions. Trypsin is formed in the "sw.eet
breads" (pancreas) and dissolves pro-
Iteid substances in neutral or alkaline
Hre1ctlei.s, These bacteria likewise pos
tssss the plroDerty ne net, I,
which acts u q manner similar El11 TO rem.
shet derived from animal sources This
@eauses the premature Gu riding of the
milk. The same organis ms also form
digestive ferments that dissolve the
casein, so the gradual dis llntegration OF
the acid; in '.'wheyed off milk is at
tributable to the action of these chem
ical ferments, which in themselves are
devoid of life, but which are formed
as result Of protoplasrnic activity.
Here again is seen the striking rela-
tionship that exists between the high
est and lowest forms of life in the ac-
tivity of the life-stuff, protoplasm.
The class of germs tina are capable
of producing these changes belong to
group that is difficult to get rid of, if
once they become established. The So
called hay bacilli and potato bacilli
that are found on the sur faces of dried
grasses and in the soil ar representa-
tives Of this class. They possess the
ability to FORM spores, and it is on this
account that they are difficult to kill.
In some cases, organisms of this class
have been known to resist a continuous
application of steam for six consecu-
tive. hours. What wonder then, that
: they are so tenacious of life. The ma
tive habitat Of these form nns is in dust
and dirt; therefore, if milk becomes
fouled with foreign matte pr from such
sources, fermentations of this class are
likely to occur. Cows having soiled
udders, caused by wading in mudholes,
are prolific source Of tr ouble.
1t is thought by many that the Or
ganisms on the hay that is eaten as
food may pass through the body of the
4 animal and be excreted in the milk,
p but such is not the case. The bacteria
that enter the body in the food or.
drink do not escape from the intestine.
If they are not destroyed by the gastric
juices, they are excreted in the manure
and can only gain access to the
milk by communicating the same. sub
sequent to milking. Science, having
shown the way in which these bac-
terra get into milk, also teaches lis
rational measures to repress their ac-
tivity. The great resistance of this
class, as a rule, necessitates scrupulous
care in cleansing the utensils and in
preventing the introduction Of dust
4 particles and Qlrt. -'sI[l r.sE~ .sT' ''l&
Then again, sometimes another
method can be used advantageously.
These bacteria, as a rule, are sensi-
tive to the action OF acids. They are
] always present in milk to some extent,
but normally, they are held in check
q By the uperabunda lance 81 sour milk
\ germs that. develop Tactic acid. II,
therefore, little starter 8 taken from
a clean sour milk, is. added to the milk
j as soon as 1t is drawn. this will serve
to give the Tactic organisms the ascen-
deney, and suppress the. premature
curdling. This method Is not to be
commended In place Of the strenuous
attempts at eradication By thorough
cleanliness; but at times where It