Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-03-10
STATE DAIRY IN,
SPECTOR'S REPORT

"In order to improve our dairy and
milk supply of the State of Maine to
the degree that public sentiment is
asking that it be improved, l make the
following recommendations" says Cliff
ford W. Wescott of Patten, the State
dairy inspector. in his annual report
which was made public Thursday:
Licenses.
Il recommend that fee of one dol
lar. or some such amount, be placed
upon milk licenses. There are approx
imately $500 licenses issued every year
! and this small tax would amount to as
much. and perhaps a little more than
our annual appropriation. Many deal
ers have little or no regard for a
license because it is free from cost.
Further inquiries regarding the
method of producing milk will. in a
measure, help to control the sanitary
quality of the dairy supply.
THE only questions regarding the
sanitary condition of milk. asked on
the application cards for licenses, are
relative to tuberculin tested cows and
to delivery in cans or bottles. Further
inquiries regarding the method Of pro-
uuClicH SIlouit be IClulIS St VI NNSiS
producer before license is granted.
Dairy Inspection.
Every Dairy applying for milk
dealers license should be systemati-
cally inspected This inspection should
be done by properly qualified inspect
| ors, or rather instructors. with the
ability to impart to the dairy farmer
advice regarding the economical pro-
duction of sanitary milk. Additional
| inspectors would. of course. be nee
essary to carry out this recommends
| ton. Therefore, it is an impossibility
under the present appropriation.
! Results Of Analyses.
The results Of the analyses of the
samples of milk and cream are as fol-
lows: Whole number of samples taken
542: number found above Standard
$40; number found clean. 2S1; number
containing visible sediment. 255: num-
Der below standard in fat, nine: num-
Der below standard in total solids. IA !:
number skinned, four; number wat
cred, one.
Disposition Of Violations.
Eight were warned and placed on
probation by this department while
one was given hearing and fined.
Educational.
1.-THE fact that during the entire
year only one fine was paid shows
that, so far as the standard set by law
goes. dairy inspection has been a sue
cess This one case which was set
standard milk.
THE dairyman or dealer selling
cream can control the percentage of
fat in that cream by proper adjustment
of the cream screw in the separator
Therefore, any case Of UNDERSTANDABLE
cream can be blamed to no one but
, himself ana, consequently, all such
cases should be prosecuted.
ION the other hand. the dairyman
cannot always control the percentage
of butter fat in low grade milk. In
majority Of violations the analyses
have shown that the milk has been
normal milk, from cows whose char
acterstics are to produce milk low ir
the percentages of fat or solids no,
fat or both.
| "Dairymen or dealers of whom such
samples were taken were warned tina,
their milk was under the standard re-
quired by law and were advised to rio
themselves of the low producing cows
which were keeping the test of theil
herd milk down below standard
| "Throughout the entire year inspec.
ton has been brought about by per-
suasion rather than by prosecution.
| 1.-The remark that the pump is the
dairyman's best COW is statement OF
the past. In the last few years many
dairymen who seemed unable to sell
milk without watering it have gone out
Of business, much to the qualification
of all concerned. Perhaps there are
a few more such dairymen left, bu,
they are few indeed, and if we can rid
the State of all such dealers we all
should be satisfied, even without ac-
cepting fines for the violations.
| when in different parts of the State
! collecting milk samples 1 have visited
as many dairy farms as possible and
inspected their barns, equipment and
methods. The United States score
card was applied in almost every case
with the object of educational advant-
=