Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-09-30
DAILY HINTS ON
FARM TOPICS
By K. A. Kirkpatrick
Care OF Milk on the Farm.


Farmers In general suffer q grea,
zeal of loss through improper meth
Ids of handling milk on tho farm
Milk is in ideal condition whom nrs
. secreted in the udder Of the healthy
well-kept COW, but when 1t 10 mo-
properly cared for, 1t will lose par
81 ali Of its market value soon ate,
being drawn from the udder.
The changes OF the milk are due 4
bacteria which gain access to II aftel
t 10 drawn. Bacteria are very abund
ant In nature. They arc minute
vegetable organisms and many kind'
ire very useful. Some however, arr
Objectionable, and even dangerous
5ouring is the most common bacter
al change OF milk and IL due to tn,
presence and activity Of q larg,
number of germs called Tactic acit
germs. These change the sugar O.
he milk into acid. Sometimes mill
lndergoes putrefactive changes or
becomes stringy. or bitter, or red. o.
blue, or It may be affected in man!
other ways. Each different Kind O.
change or Fermentation 10 due to tn,
development Of large numbers O.!
some specific kind Of bacteria.
Besides the bacteria that produc,
.hese marked changes In milk, FORM,
some times gain entrance that retail
heir life but do not multiply rapid
~. Others grow more or less read
iiy, but without producing noticeabl,
changes, even though they ma.
make the milk unwholesome. II
these latter cases the bacteria som,
lines include germs that cause dis
ease. II they once get into 4 suppl,
81 milk, they may produce sickness,
or even death to the consumer. Thu
diseases most liable TO be carried b..
milk are typhoid fever, diphtheria
and scarlet fever. II IL now prac
Ideally admitted that tuberculosi'
may Be also carried BY bacteria gain
ing access to the milk from the bod,
If 4 tubercular cow or from lack o,
care In handling milk where tuber
,ular patients are or have bean. Thit
disease is not often transmitted By
milk. but 1t Is known that the DANCE,
exists. The farmer, then, shoulf
handle the milk In such way as t.
exclude all disease producing or pa.
fhogenic bacteria and other forms o,
life that cause milk to sour or deter
torAte In value.
In answer to the question, "Hov
DO bacteria get into the milk ant
how may they be excluded?" 1t MAJ
be said that the milk is practicall,
free when drawn, unless 1t comes
from diseased animal or diseased
udder. Bacteria sometimes gain en-
ftranos to the opening of the teat ant
become permanently established II
the teAt, milk cistern, and ducts. II
such cases they are most abundan
In the first few streams Of mill
drawn and In dairies whore ever.
possible precaution Is taken to ex
clude them, It ID the rule to discar'
tho 6rst few streams OF milk at eacl
milking. Recent Investigations In
dicate that this tyne OF contamina
tion OF milk 'e not 40 common 90 ha
been supposed
Ins caisr source OF bacteria In
milk 10 foreign matter which finds
It's way into the milk In greater OF
less quantities during or following
the milking. Small bits OF soil, man
ure. hairs, dust, old milk, impure
water are among the carriers OF bac'
terra. Here are ten suggestions fol
keeping milk free from bacteria and
having 1t Of the highest quality pos.
Jble.
/. The COW should be kept clean
This can be very easily managed II
the barnyard and stables are kept
reasonably clean. The air in the
stable should be kept as free as pos.
,ible from dust; the room should
,, rave tight ceiling. No hay or straw
should be stored in 1t. No dry feed
should be given at or Just before
milking, and anything that tends tc
,roduce dust should be avoided al
much as possible.
2. Stables should be well lighted
md ventilated. This point is i'm.
,ortant both for the cleanliness and
health Of the animals. It is very
,ften the dark or the poorly ventilat.
I'd stable that houses the tuberculai
n the surrounding country which
'ave few or no windows. This should
rot be. The advanced idea is to ad'
nit an abundance Of light and tr
nave ventilating shafts which car
AXE away the impure air near tbt
7oor and other shafts to admit fresl
air near the ceiling. This system
will not work unless the barn /.
light enough so that the air can No,
rass outward or inward readil,
through the walls. It is not neces
-ary to have costly building In or
Ter to conform to this type Of con.
itruction.
3. Clean the COW before milking
t is especially important that the
part from which dirt might fall into
The milk pail be cleaned. 1t hal
,een shown by large mum Der OF ex
,eriments that dirt and hairs are
shaken from the udder OF the
low by the action of milking and
hat great numbers OF bacteria gel
nto the milk In this manner. Il
loes not require much time to brush
he COW and wipe the udder and
iaAks before milking. The Illinoi.
tation recently found that twenty
wo times as much dirt will fall from
he slightly soiled udder as from ONT
hat has been washed and that wher
he udder is muddy or very dirty
ninety times az, much dirt will fal
is there does when It has beer
leaned as suggested To keep thu
low standing from the time thu
cleaning II done until milking time