The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1911-11-02
H.W TO CARE For MILK
FEED EATEN BY COW GIVES FLA
VOR TO MILK.
Cy c. II. Eck,es, Professor Of Dairy
ing. College Of Agriculture,
University Of Missouri.

The almost universal demand of
consumers for better milk in Mis-.
souri, makes it essential that the farm
er understand better what are causes
of trouble-in handling milk. The mar
ket value of butter and cheese de-
ponds largely upon the presence OF
the proper taste and ouor and the alb
kence of the undesirable favOrs.
The absorption of odors from the
air Is common occurrence. So far
as l know, none of the odors absorbed
Is beneficial. Milk, cream and butter
absorb doors very readily, but cheese
very slowly. On account of this char
acteristic, it is necessary at all times
to guard against exposing milk to any
cdcr. This means that the barn and
surroundings must be free from doors.
Warm milk absorbs odors faster than
cold.
Retailers are often blamed for odors
and tastes which are absorbed from
the refrigerator where the milk is
placed by the consumer. The odors
of fruit are especially easy of absorb
ton by butter and milk.
The effects of bacteria, however, are
far more important than the absorb
ton of odors. These odors may usual
ly be driven off at 1870 to 10 degrees
by heating the milk
Any feed which is given to the COW
may give flavor to the milk if it has
a marked taste. Onions, turnips,
green rye and certain weeds are the
best known examples. We can under
stand how these feeds affect the milk
more clearly by considering what hap
pens when person eats onions. For
about an hour after eating onions
there is no noticeable effect, then the
breath begins to smell of onions and
the taste OF onions is in the mouth.
The odor of the breath comes from
tho onion products being cast off by
the lungs. and the taste is due to the
onion products coming into the mouth
with the saliva The entire circula-
ton is filled with the volatile prod
acts from the onion, and they pass
out with every eXcretion and secre-
ton. The same thing happens when
COW is given feed with strong
odor or taste. AS soon as it is digest
ed il passes into every secretion, in,
cludin" he milk. BY thinking of these
facts We can see that feed liable to
give taste to the milk should be
fed immediately before milking so
thAt it vii! not have time to be d.
ecst"d, or at once after milking SO
tH:d it will have time to get out Of
the body before another milking.
II COW is sick-has indigestion,
Tor example-the milk may have an
objectionable odor or taste which has
been absorbed by the circulation from
the alimentary canal. Clean milk from
q healthy COW has no "cowy" odor
or animal odor, as Is fully believed
by many dairymen. The so-called ami
NAL odor comes either from dirt in
the milk or from an unhealthy animal
Amy taste or odor that milk has
when freshly MIXED is due to one OF
the causes mentioned. But it should
be further understood that any odor
Or taste not present in the fresh milk,
but developed later, does not come
from the COW nor her feed. For ex-
ample, If milk becomes Shiny or bit
.er, or smells bad after standing some |
line, do not lay it on the COW unless
t has the same condition when fresh
y MIXED. Taints from the feed are
lriven off almost entirely by heating
he milk. The smell Of onions or tur-
lips may be removed almost entirely
~ this means. In some localities,
in the South Atlantic
states, milk is often pasteurized with
his object alone in view.
Under usual conditions this source
# tastes and odors is of compare
lively little importance. AS a rule,
he COW produces milk pure, and the
responsibility for the many troubles
hat appear in handling should be
placed where it belongs-on the per-
on handling the milk.
AoSaiCoIy oil laotCo anu OuOIS lIldl
levelop i'll milk on standing-and we
NOW there are an infinite number
re due to bacteria. Milk itself has
10 power Of changing in any way. We
peak very often of milk souring, as
il were the only thing that hap
'ens to milk. It is the most COM
non change, but there are several
thers One kind of bacteria causes
milk to sour, and another produces
as. and. II present in large numbers,
nay make the gassy curd and spongy
heese so much dreaded by cheese
makers.
Another familiar germ causes ordi-
airy decay or putrefaction OF milk
nth the bad tastes and odors COM
ION to such changes. These are the
ause of much of the bad cheese and
utter. Others produce the ropy or
tringy milk so much dreaded by the
lilkman. The feed of the COW has
othing whatever to do with this
tringy milk. 1t is not uncommon for