The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-08-05

Commercial Agent Erwin W. Thomp-
son Most of the efforts to adapt cows
milk to the use of infants have taken
the direction of treating the milk itself
by pasteuriZation, sterilization, or other
notifications. OF late years there has
developed in Germany, and especially
in Saxony, a theory that the cow. and
not the milk, should be the subject Of
first care. Germany is proud, not only
of it's high birth rate. but of it's grow
ing ability to make the births effective
by caring for the infants through the
period Of greatest mortality. Proper
nourishment is recognized as the larg-
est factor.
Great progress has been made in Sax
ony in the production of what Is
known as "kindermilch." It's large
cities have stringent ordinances regu-
lating the production as well as the
sale OF milk in general, and Of kinder
mich in particular. The capital city,
Dresden, has a most comprehensive
ordinance on the subject.
One producer of kindermilch in
Dresden (suburb Racknitz) deserves
special mention, because he has estab-
lished and has been for several years
maintaining what is probably the most
scientific milk producing plant in the
world. He Is Theodore Bienert, a man
of considerable wealth, whose principal
business is the milling of grain. The
dairy is operated as a side line, or
rather as a hobby. for the sake Of
philanthropicaIly showing, without re-
gard to cost, just what are the uIti-
mate possibilities in the way Of pro-
duCing pure and wholesome cows milk
for infants.
The cows of Oldenburg and East
Friesian, black and white, Of the gen.
eral size and appearance Of what in
the United States are popularity though
enormously known as HOlsteins. They
are carefully selected for health and
culled from year to year, so hat the
herd of thirty always consists Of COW
with the second or third calf. They
are MIXED through only one milk
period and then sold.
The building is of concrete and most
Of the floors and walls are lined with
glazed thing. The stable proper has a
wide center aisle and raised floors on
each side for a row Of COWS. with tails
toward the aisle. There are cement
cutters to catch all drOppings, which
are Immediately scraped down through
numerous openings to a COnVeyOr TAX
ing them to a separate building. An
exhaust fan below draws air down
through the opening just enough to in
duce, through the screened windows,
the proper influx Of fresh air for any
given number Of COWS. In cold weather
the air can be heated. This refinement
Of ventilation was installed, in a meas
ure, to compensate for the artificial
conditions of keeping the COWS always
housed, where a natural supply of fresh
air Is not available. In summer the
cows are given an occasional airing in
an adjacent meadow. In ordinary in
stallations the COWS are never turned
out to pasture, and in the stables there
is either to little fresh air, or, in the
effort to supply more, the large win
doWs admit more cold air than can be
resisted by COW that are tied up and
thus kept from exercising.
Ordinarily, COWS stand on beds OF
straw, which become much soiled and
are always a source Of nOxious germs.
In the Racknitz dairy the COWS stand
on coco mating. which is daily clean
ed and covered with fresh sawdust.
Here there is perpetual warfare against
dust. which would arise from feeding
hay and from the use Of straw for
bedding. Such dry hay as is fed is
brought in after the milking, SO that
the dust germs do not get into the
milk. The vaulted ceiling of the stable
is supplied with atomizers, through
which fine sprays Of water are thrown
into the room to lay any possible dust
just before milking.
Each day, before milking, the floors
and walls are washed with hose, and
the COWS are carefully scrubbed by
hand from head to foot. In addition
to this, each cow Is taken to an adjoIn-
ing room once a week and given a sup