The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1912-07-10
Agricultural Extension.
PREVENTING THE SQUIRTING OF MILK
IN HOT WEATHER.

have trouble with sour milk. This
causes much loss, not only to the
farmer who keeps one or more
cows for family use. but especially
to the dairyman who retails his
milk or ships it to dealer in the
city. The dealer usually pays
only one half price for sour milk
or refuses to accept it at any
price, thus entailing heavy loss to
the producer.
Good sweet milk can be pre-
duce1 and delivered in prime con-
dition to the customer in the hot
est summer weather. The writer
has for five years shipped milk
from the farm to Louisville-a
distance of 81 miles-the milk be-
ing three hours on the train in
transit, and has not had drop of
sour milk during that time. The
amount of these shipments ranged
from 60 to 80 gallons a day, and
was on strictly business basis,
every gallon being sold at a good
margin of profit. During about
half of this time the milk was
shipped in 8 and 10 gallon cans,
the remainder of the time in quart
and pint bottles.
Good sweet milk depends on two
items, cleanliness and cold tenn
perature. To secure these the
following rules should be observed.
Have the cows udder clean be-
fore milking. A clean damp cloth
can be used for this purpose and
Gun be carried in the pocket of the
mixer. Only few seconds are
required to wipe the udder off i'm
mediately before beginning to
milk the COW. In our experience
this simple expedient has worked
wonders.
Be careful not to allow hairs,
dust or dirt to fall into the milk.
They are laden with germs. Germs
cause the milk to sour. The
greater the number of germs the
quicker the souring will occur.
A pail with a small opening will
be very helpful in keeping out
dust and other dirt.
Use the milk pail for no other
purpose than for milking. Some
1airymen use it for watering the
horses and stopping the hogs, and
then wonder why the milk sours.
Cool the milk Immediately by
running it over a milk cooler,
lone of these can be bought for SIS
to 50, or by immersing in cold
spring or well water. The animal
heat must be removed before
placing in cans or bottled for de-
livery or shipment. If necessary
to hold the nights milk for ship
ment the next morning it should
be held at a low temperature.
Cold springs or well water in a
wooden or metal tank of proper
size to hold shipping cans may be
used for this purpose. running
spring water is at hand, this will
serve admirably. In some cases
the milk or cream may be lowered
into a cistern and kept cool until
time for shipment. If care is ex
ercised, milk can be kept sweet
without ice, but supply of ice is
very desirable.
Another important point. Wash
all vessels carefully. Examine
frequently in the angles to see that
no accumulation of yellow Shiny
casin material collects, as this will
certainly cause rapid souring.
After washing, scald all vessels
with boiling water and place in
pure fresh air until ready for use.
II exposed to the sun, so much the
better, as sunlight is the best
germ killer and purifier.
Milk produced in the manner
outlined will be of the best quality
md will bring the highest market
price. Such milk is always in de-
nand and if used for buttermak-
.. Al. 1850, .,,akartoI