Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1910-11-11
MILK CONTAMINATION
p whitney, Former Dairy instruc-
tor, w. S. G.

.,,is contamination as much as pos
s,hla The dust content of the air in
10 stable at milking time can be
sreatly reduced by observing a few
simple rules.
Curry and brush the COWS
aoi,v. a good time to do this is i'm
meaiately after milking in the morn
ing.
If the COWS are kept in lot or
nosture during the periods between
n;lkings. turn them into the stable
aubi,e before time to begin milking
IN order that the dust that is stirred
IN by their movements may have
time to settle.
2. See that there is no dust-laden
bedding under the COWS. Nearly all
cows will lift their feet more or less
during milking and the bedding will
be stirred up to a considerable ex-
tent, always sending a cloud Of dust
laden with bacterial life into the air.
4. DO not feed hay or folders Of
any kind just before or during milk
ing, such feeds carrying a large
amount of dust. The proper time to
feed them is after milking is done.
Not only should the body of the COW
be brushed at regular intervals to
prevent contamination of the stable
air, but the udder and parts sur
rounding it should be carefully
brushed in order that filth and hairs
may not be shaken in the milk buck
ct at the time of milking When the
udder and flank has been carefully
! brushed, the udder should be wiped
off with a damp cloth, so that the
dust particles which have not been
removed will adhere to the coat of
the animal. If this method is care
/ fully followed, the contamination
from this source will be reduced to
almost nothing. The mixer should
q have some special garment to slip on
over his working clothes while he is
milking. The garment should bel
washed frequently, and should be
kept where it will not become laden
with dust. The hands of the mixer
should be washed clean before he be
gins to milk, and at intervals during
milking if they become soiled. Rules
against milking with wet hands can
not be too strictly enforced, as it is
one of the flthiest practices known
in the dairy industry.
The utensils used in handling and
caring for the milk should be made
of good quality of tin, All seams
should be carefully flushed with sol
der and corners and sharp angles
should be rounded out with solder so
that every bit of surface may be
reached with a brush during the
washing process. The following sys-
tenn should be used in washing dairy
utensils:
Rinse with cold or luke warm
water to remove all adhering milk,
wash thoroughly with a good brush
(never use a cloth) in warm water
containing soap, or some good clean
ing material, then scald thoroughly,
or better STILL if steam is at hand,
steam them for four or five minutes.
Vi All utensils should then be inverted
ln place free from dust and if pos
q sible where the sun will shone on
4 them, as the sunshine is the best dis
II infectant we have.
The necessity of cooling the milk,
II if high grade product is desired,
should not be overlooked. AS soon
as possible after the milk is drawn it
b should be removed to a special room
or building where there is no chance
j OF further contamination from with
out AS has already been stated,
some bacterial life will have gained
access to the milk despite the care
given in its production. After the
81 milk has been removed to a place
81 Where it is protected from outside
Contamination, the next important
81 step is to. retard or stop the develop
ment and multiplication of the organ
Bms already in the milk.
Il BY studying these minute organ
sms (bacteria), it has been learned
mat they have the power to develop
very rapidly. The progeny of sin
gle organism will, under the most ia
Forable conditions number several
millions in "a hours. AS milk is an
lueal food for bacterial life it can
q readily be seen that we must produce
ohdltions unfavorable to their devel-
Opment or all of our work in protect
ng the milk from outside cOntami-
4 nauon will count for nothing. The
81 application of heat and cold is being
used quite extensively for this pur-
pose and the dairyman has to choose
we method best suited for his condi-
n tionc