TAINTS IN MILK.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 535, 16 June 1909, Page 10

TAINTS IN MILK.

• One ' of the commonest taints in milk (says "Tho; Dairy") is tho turnip flavour, which occurs where swedes, and especially soft turnips, are fed in largo quantities. This may be taken as an example of a large number of different tastes or smells, which aro sometimes ,met with in milk, and in which bacterial' life plays no part. Much of this appears due to the fatal power that milk has for absorbing odours or tastes. Thus, if a bowl of milk sits in a cupboard beside a can of pariffin oil, tho milk will absorb tho. taste and smell of tho oil; and similarly where { a herd of cows passed a breadth of their way to tho cowshed, by sniffing'up the flavour of the onions they gave it to the milk in their udders. Another causo of tainted milk is tho state of the cow's health. Milk is a secretion of certain glands of tho body, and it is self-evident that if tho animal is out of sorts in any way—even if only a case of indigestion—the milk must be " affected, without tho inuence of bacteria of any kind. Many of these taints—at least, .those derived from food—must bo of tho nature of "essential oils,!' and "strong" fond, of any kind is likely to causo them. Much, therefore, may be done to prevent or cure troubles I in this line by seeing that the quaJity, of 1 tha food is good,'and that tha siesuaxi

hcakh of tho animals is all right. ..In tlio spring of Uic year tho rush of vegetable growth will cahso troubles, and tliero will bo tho usual crop of queries about a taint in butter or cheese, etc'. A rank growth of sorao weed is tho cause, and if it is not pnssible to locate the evil plant and reniovo it, then tho only thing to do is to change tho pasture.