Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-10-03

i One OF his Oest COWS, uOWcNei, 10 no'
registered and never can be-. but there is
little doubt that she is pure-bred. Fail
ure to keep records has made IL impoSsi
| bic to register this animal. She has the
blood and the producing power, how
ever, and she is doing profitable work.
Not only does Mr.. Conant intend to
make profit upon each cows work
but he is gradually reaching out after
greater profit returns, and, more than
that, he is making every possible enort
to produce milk of the very best quality
Here is little illustration right to the
point. Some time ago Mr.. Conant re-
ceived word from the company which
receives his milk that his bacteria count
was too high. Now this matter OF the
determination of the bacteria count IN
milk is contribution of science to the
effort for the production of pure milk.
1t has been made possible to count the
uumbe of bacteria in cubic cent?
meter of milk and it is. settled fact of
science that the abnormally large num-
ber of bacteria which milk sometimes
contains is responsible for it poor quail,
ity, even its dangerous quality, as well
as for its poor keeping quality. There
are many different kinds OF bacteria,
and because a certain milk has large
number of bacteria it does not neces-
sarily have those that are inimicai 60
health, but there is always the posi-
bility that if there is an abnormally large
number of bacteria in milk, some of
them may be disease germs. 1t has been
absolutely determined that absolutely
pure milk need have but comparative
ly small number Of bacteria to the cubic
centimeter. Nine thousand is consider
ed a low count, so perfectly safe that
many companies which make a practice
of keeping records of the bacterial quail
ity of their customers milks do not at
tempt to count any thing lower than that.
Milk which is as pure as that is consider
ed top-notch.
Mr.. Conant is a man Of some knowl-
edge of modern scientific agriculture
and man of good sense. He Is not the
kind of man who turns up his nose al
scientific things and when he received
the notice that his bacteria count was
too high, he Immediately said to himself
We'll fix that bacteria count so that II
will be out of sight," or some remark
which meant very much the same. He
didn't say, as probably good many
other men have said who do not read and
think as much, "Oh, bosh. What does
anyb body know about bacteria oount9
What does bacteria count amount to,
anyway? guess my milk is as good as
any body's." Mr.. Copant Immediately
went TO work to demonstrate in prac-
tical way whether there was anything IN
this matter of the bacteria count or not,
and whether 1t had any relation to the
purity of the milk; and his milk was
not as high In bacteria count as some
other milks that have been examined.
Here is what he did, and what he dis
covered also. He went to work i'm
mediately to make more cleaniy con-
ditions in anu about the stable. With
out going to the extreme OF building
new stables or rebuilding the old ones
Mr.. Conant made the conditions OF the
old stables as clean as the most fastidi
ous inspector could desire. Then be
bought some hooded milk pals. Hood
ed pals keep a great deal of filth such
as dust and anything else that may come
in the atmosphere from getting into the
milk. 1t keeps out much OF anything
that might drop or be brushed from the
BODY of the COW or the clothing OF the
mixer from getting into the milk
Keeping the stable absolutely clean keeps
| from the milk great many OF the vari
Gus kinds Of dust and bacteria that ny
in the atmosphere, are raised from the
floor or drop from the ceiling. Mr.. Co
naut took all these things into consider
alton when he got his hooded milk pals
and took extra pains in keeping his sta
bles clean. He also put little extra
care on the cows, in keeping them clean
and preventing any uncleanliness from
their bodies communicating the milk.
Gradually he saw his bacteria count
90 down, down, down, until it was low
| The figures might have sounded big FOL
barrels of apples, but were small fol
bacteria count. When he got down to
fifty thousand per c. c. he might have
been excused from stopping in bis et'
forts; he might perhaps have been salts
fed that he was producing cleaner mill
than most people, but being after tht
best possible, he kept right along max
| ing improvements. His most recen
change in the conditions under wnlcf
his milk is produced and kept was th'
construction of milk and Ice house
short distance from the stables, but
sufficient distance away to fill all re
louirements. Here Is good supply o
ice. and the milk goes immediately from
its straining to ice cooled tanks, wher
It is kept until 1t is carried away to tn
creamery. And Mr.. COnant got hi
lcount down below nine thousand per
lc. and the company wrote on his repor
card, very good" and ceased sending
reports.
This is but one of the evidences OF tn
thoroughuess with which this progress
i've farmer does the things which he un
! dertakes. Do not think that because n
lis not receiving bacteria count report
that he will relax in his efforts TO Zee
his milk of the highest quality. Re VII
be anxious to keep 1t up to the hig
: standard so that he will not receive an
more reports, for when the reports com
he will understand that something 10 tn
trouble, something has happened to th
Iouality, and that he will have to 60 owe
!, some Of the work again to correct fau
which has orept in. -,
: To return to the profit side OF tn
, business, here is what the records OF th
. dairy testing association say that one
Mr.. Couant's cows did for him last yea
: This COW 10 named Jennie, the suppose
nnre-bred COW which 10 not registere'
Shs produced S97O.4 lbs. milk; ASS ID
fat; bringing sls2.ss in money from Il
y Turner Center Creamery. Her fee
cost was S7s. 4s. making the profit I.
a ths wear 800. .3S. During eight montl
!, lof the present year of the dairy testil
association, this same COW has produce
!, 578O lbs. milk and $50 lbs. fat, and b
dry method 10 included In tho s's
months.
Mr.. Conant has only three COWS Will
vent through the entire dairy testil
i wear last year, and those three co,
iroueht him from the creamery $S92
An average Of SlS0.sS. The avers
profit Of these COWS above feed cost "
S7S 2S. This WAS Mr.. Conant's first ye
In the association, hls arst year on q
l. vnAAtAH IA