The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1907-11-28
I understand "ideal dairying"

ZS >7<
understand "ideal dairying" to
mean the condition of the milk pro.
ducing industry that We would like to
see in vogue. My ideal therefore is
practical It refers to the great bulk
OF market milk and not to a dairy herd
and those whose trade is limited or
whose owner can as we'll run it at a
loss as profit. mean no criticism
Of certified milk or other such high
class diaries. They have their USE
1ul place and they are increasing in
Importance, but they are beyond any
ideal that we may expect to realize in
the production Of the great bulk of
market milk for some years to come.
Milk production is an industry in
which many thousands of citizens are
making their living. Its methods of
conduct have been about the same for
many years. 1t represents an invest
ment of hundreds of millions of dol
lars. Radical changes cannot be made
suddenly in such an enormous enter
prise. For a present-day ideal would
describe conditions that are now to
be found on some of the better dairy
farms that are sending milk to the
general market and doing so at
profit. The fact that dairyman must
make profit from his business is
often overlooked. Many people seem
to think he should be philanthropist
or at least carry on his business at
. loss.
The production of milk may be dis
cussed conveniently under five head
ings, representing five distinct points
that should be guarded These are:
1. The health of the COW.
2. The cleanliness of the COW and
her surroundings,
3. The condition of the utensils.
4. The cleanliness of the employees
(fncluding their HEALTHY.
5. Cooling and storing the milk
1. Cows that produce milk for hui
man food should be in good health. A
competent dairyman can usually tell
II cow is not in good health and he
will recognize any of the common
cow ailments except tuberculosis, and
he should always withhold from the
market any milk given by such one
He should have veterinarian pass
upon the health Of his herd at least
once year. The value of the tuber-
culin test is we'll known and it should
be used by rapidly increasing mum.
Der of dairymen. But it would be un-
wise, in my judgment, to compel it's
use in all diaries within short time.
There are not enough competent vet
erinarians to test all cows in short
period of time, nor are our laws so
effective now that unreliable work and
recontamination can be sufficiently
guarded against. Here is an instance
where cow owners need to know the
facts When they understand the
true value Of tuberculin and how its
use may save them from heavy losses,
as we'll as assure safer milk, they will
want this test.
Measures for protecting the health
of the herd include light and ventila.
ton in the stables. Every stable
should have an abundance of direct
sunlight and fresh air. If dairymen
understood the Importance of these
agents. new windows and ventilators'
would be installed at a rapid rate. 1t
would be we'll II every dairyman
knew the details of some carefully
conducted experiment along these
lines. which has shown the better re-
suits in dairy where light and fresh
air were abundant as compared with
another where these aids to health
were lacking.
2. The COW and her surroundings
should be kept clean and this requires
Intelligent labor or expert superv;-
SION. Wholesome milk cannot be pro-
duced in dirty places. Many pro-
ducers are honest in their belief that
a little foreign matter falling into milk
does no harm If the milk is we'll
strained. They do not know that Or
ganic matter is laden with objection
able tyres of bacteria and these or
ganisms constitute the chief harm
and that the soluble part of the con-
Eliminating material is next in impor-
lance and the stuff that cannot get
through the strainer is the least i'm
poTtant. If dairymen did but appre-
'clate what it means to plant a lot
of baeteriR in milk as we'll as they
appreciate what it means to let a slot
of, weed seeds get into their fields
theH:ttsPouid be easier to enforce the
Dimple rules of cleanliness.
It IL not necessary here to tell how