Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1903-10-10
Holstein- Friesian Milk for Infants and
Inva1ids.

An excerpt from a Chicago daily OF
late date (Record Herald, containing
most unjust structure on Holstein-
Friesian cattle, has just been handed
me; and, In the interests of justice. !
ask space in your columns for brief
reply. The excerpt is headed The
Holstein Must Co. and the pertinent
part is as follows
''The HoIstein cow was dragged in
o the pure milk campaign yesterday.
Chief Milk Inspector Thomas F. Grady
declared the milk from Holsteins lack
ing in nourishnent. The HOlsteins
must CO. he said. The babies of
Chicago demaad it, The trouble with
Holsteins is that they give big guam
ity of milk, and that the quality,
therefore. is inferior Farmers should
have Jerseys, Ayrshires or Durhams. !"
While Mr.. Grady may be entirely
familiar with Chicago ward politics. l
have serious doubts as to his familiar
ity with dairy cattle; and am sure
that when it comes to feeding babies,
q man Who recommends the Jersey
cow cow giving small quantities of
milk very much richer in fat than the
milk of the human mother, milk so
rich that it would induce dysentery at
once-does not know what he is talk
ing about. If man were to choose a
foster-mother to nurse his child. he
would choose a strong healthy woman,
with plenty of vitality. If he must
use the COW as foster-mother. and can
select himself, he will choose strong,
healthy, vigorous COW. of that breed
which gives milk nearest in compost
to the milk of the human mother.
The average composition of thous-
ands as analyses OF human milk shows
less than per cent fat, and 9 per
cent of solids not fat. The average
analysis of cows milk the world over,
COWS with jersey blood being excepted,
is little above 35 per cent fat and
percent of solids not fat. During the
past two years alone, more than 1,2OO
Holstein Friesian COWS of all ages have
been officially tested FOR at least one
week by the various state experiment
stations; and, with every milking thus
tested, the average per cent OF fat for
all the milk taking in bulk is found to
be 3.4 per cent.
It is thus seen that while the milk
of the Holstein-Friesian COW exceeds
the milk of the human mothers consid-
erably in per cent of fat. the excess is
not enough to be injurious to the
children. Under the auspices of the
Physicians and Surgeons Association
of Chicago there has been established
at De Kalb, ILL.,, a large dairy for the
production of certified milk for infants
and invalids, the milk selling at whole
sale for several times the price of
common milk, and the cows used are
almost entirely of Holstein-Friesen
blood. The ply ysicians of Chicago
have learned that there is such thing
as vital force in milk, that some milk
shows this more than others, and that
Holstein. Friesian milk shows it most
of all.
Speaking en- this matter, Professor
Carlyle of the Wisconsin Agricultural
College, said: The point wish to
make here is that there is such thing
as vitality in milk, and that it is of
equal. if not greater, importance than
its chemical composition, especially
for the milk is supply of cities; and
there can be no question but that the
vitality Of milk is closely associated
with the vitality Of the animal produc-
ing it. Strong, vigorous cows, such
as the Observation-Disclosures and milking
Shorthorns and some few families Of
the Jersey and Guernsey breeds, are
animals that are bouud to be required
for this purpose. The physicians rec
ognize the Importance of strong vital
temperament in the human mother,
and 1 do not see why it should not ap-
ply with equal force to the cows"
The city milk dealer will always
assert that the farmer is at fault in the
milk supplied, and is always demand
ing milk richer in butter fat. He
wishes, this, not that he may retail it
as it comes in, but that he may skim
off part of the cream to sell as cream
and yet have fat enough left in
the milk to pass inspection. The
farmers and dairymen prefer Holstein-