The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1899-02-24
.[llA!As.!5t!.EEIzz%FylfN..ERIY.
HANDLING MILK.

Methods Employed at the Kansas
Agricultural College Dairy.
Every effort is made to keep the sta
bles clean and the stalls well bedded
and to have as little dust floating at
the time Of milking as possible. To ac-
complish this latter point the feeding
is done after rather than before the
milking. The handling Of the hay, en-
silage or even grain fills the atmos-
phere full of dust and carries with it
millions upon millions of germs many
of which will fall into the milk and
not only cause it to sour, but will de-
velop undesirable favors in the butter
and cheese made from it. The hay ba-
cillus a germ that has great tenacity of
life, exists in immense quantities in
cured hay, and when allowed to de-
velop unchecked in ripening cream will
cause the butter to have a very dis
agreeable, offensive flavor.
Before beginning to milk, says Pro-
fessor Otis, each mixer sees that his
hands are clean, not merely that they
look clean, but are as free as pos
sible from germs. For this purpose it is
often necessary to wash in hot water
previous to milking. Each mixer is
provided with canton flannel cloth,
which is moistened and used to wipe off
the sides and udder of the cow. This re-
moves the loose particles Of dust and
moistens the rest SO that they will not
so readily fall into the milk bucket.
These cloths, as we'll as the cloth strain
ers, are thoroughly washed and sterilized
with boiling water after each milking.
The milk pail used is called the ''san-
itary dairy pail" 1t is made Of heavy
tin and is covered ON top. In this cover
is a six inch hole, into which fits cir
cular removable strainer. The milk is
MIXED directly into this strainer. This
style of milk pail keeps out Of the milk
the dust and hairs that fall in spite of
the precautions already mentioned. Any
one doubling the desirability of such
milk pail need doubt no longer after
once seeing the appearance of the pail
after milking. In spite of the best pre-
cautions, the top of the pail will be
covered with numerous hairs and dust
particles, enough to spoil the digestion
of any man if he only knew what he
was swallowing when he drinks the
milk out of an open milk pail
Each cows milk is weighed, sampled
and again strained through a wire
strainer and finally through four thick
nesses of cheesecloth This wire strain
er is so constructed that the milk is
strained on an upward pressure Any
particles of dirt remaining in the milk
and settling to the bottom will not be
forced through the strainer by the pres
sure of the milk above.
From the cheese cloth strainer the
milk is received into 40 quart milk
cans. We have two styles of cans, the
New York and the Chicago We prefer
the former for two reasons. In the first
place the lid is oval and will not collect
dust like the lid of the Chicago can and
can be cleaned much easier. In the sec
ond place, when it is desired to keep
the milk any length of time the New
York can may be immersed in water.
The lid projects below the top Of the
can, and the pressure of the air inside
keeps the water from the milk, on the
same principle as the cans Of the Cooley
creamer.
The milk is brought to the dairy
room as soon as possible after being
MIXED and strained and is aerated
half a can at time with the Hill aera
tor. A tin pipe projects above the roof
of the dairy room, where fresh air is
secured and conducted through absorb
ent cotton, to remove any germs or
dust particles, into bellows, where it is
forced through the milk Any one
standing near the can of milk while
this operation is being performed can
not fail to notice the cowy odor that is
given off. This is kept up until the ami
NAL odor is removed. In this way near
~ all the taints in milk not due to
germs can be removed, and it has been
found by experience that milk is much
more digestible after being aerated.
After .aeration the milk is cooled over
Star or Champion cooler to between
so and so degrees F., at which temper
allure it is kept until delivered to the
college dining hall or the creamery or
warmed up for the separator. When
separation takes place Immediately after
milking, the milk goes directly from
the aerator to the separator without be-
ing cooled.
How often to Feed Cows.
The cow is ruminant animal, and