The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1909-04-01


hams. The principal dairy breeds are
Jersey, Guernsey, Ayrshire, Holstein
and Dutch Belted. These are fully de-
scribed in farmers bulletin 106-Breeds
of Dairy Cattle.
The production of beef and of milk
are a~ntagonistic. Nature cannot per-
form these two opposite processes.
Good mixers are thin, bony and angu-
lar. while the cow that carries much
flesh usually produces little milk. The
dual purpose breeds represent the mid
die stage of agriculture as in Utah;
but when dairying is fully developed,
the dairy breeds must be chosen. The
Jersey gives the least and richest milk;
mex comes the Guernsey. The Ayr
shire and Dutch Belted rank together,
and the Holstein comes last in the scale
of richness. For quantity the reverse
order prevails; but the individual is
more important than the breed.
Composition of Milk.
Milk is a complex substance, always
containing the same elements, though
in varying proportions, no matter from
what kind of dairy animal it is taken.
In percentages, average cows milk
contains water 87.4, fat 3.6, casein 8,
albumen 5, sugar Ats, and ash or min
eral matter rs per cent. Contrary to
popular belief, superior care and feed
ing will increase the quantity, but not
the quality of the milk. The quality
xyoriov with tho hrood and the nQri06
of l~actation, the fat increasing with a
longer time of giving milk. The fat
may vary from 1.6 up to 11.2 per cent
with different cows.
The different uses to which these
elements are put in the human body
may be indicated. Water is a neces-
sary constituent Of all bodily tissues
and also to maintain temperature. Fat
is used in the body for the production
Of energy and the formation Of fatty
tissue. It is composed Of three ele-
ments-carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.
When milk is marketed it is only the
amount of fat that is considered in the
price paid for it. Butter is composed
Of water and fat.
The tissues Of the body are proteid
substances and depend upon casein and
albumen. These contain, in addition to
the three elements just named, nitro
gen, which is a necessary constituent
of muscles. hair, bone and nervous It's
sue. Cheese is composed of one-third
casein. Sugar is like fat as to the ele-
ments of which it is built. In the case
of a young and growing animal it is
necessary to supply it with a food that
contains relatively more of the prote-
ids. The ash is used in digestion and
in bone building.
Milk will supply all the purposes of
the body and is called a perfect food.
It is easily digested, differing in this
respect from meat. It is one Of the
most economical Of foods. One quart
of milk costing 5 cents will supply as
much nutriment to the body as three
fourths of a pound of beefsteak cost
ing 9 cents. Milk in some form will
be a food after beef may have been
abandoned for this use.
The secretion of milk takes place in
the udder of the cow. Bacteria lodge
on the end of the teat, which is moist,
and may thus work up into the udder.
The milk in the udder has a germicide
effect, and so destroys the bacteria.
Mixers who desire the purest form or
milk therefore reject the first few
streams of the milk drawn
Souring of Milk.
The souring OF milk is due to the