THE MILK TEST.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1398, 26 March 1912, Page 8

THE MILK TEST.

CAUSES OF VARIATION. The -variation of the test of a cuw'inilk front day to day i>. says Prof. I-;. H. K-irringlon, of Wisconsin Dairy School, U.S.A., influenced by at least ten different thins?, viz.:— 1. Tho natural disposition of the cow. If she lias a quiet, evfn temperament her milk will test about the same per cent, fat from day to day; while, on the other hand, if she i« nervous and easily excited Hip per cent, of fat will change from one milking to another, in tome cases as much as 1 per cent. ,2. The breed of tho cow ha= some influence on the test of her milk. As a rule, tlir, Guernsey and Jersey milk is richer than Hint of the Ayrshire ami milking Shorthorn. ;i. The period of lactation. Most cows give the thinnest milk when the flow is the largest, or a few weeks after the tow is fresh, the test gradually increasing until the time when she is a stripper. There is, however, some, difference in cows regarding this increase in test ns the milking period advances. Some cows do not give much richer milk when they are drying up, while with others tho per "cent, of fat often doubles duriDg the latter part of tho milkimj period.. i. The influence of feftl on the test of a cow's milk is usiiallr onlv temporary. A siuU'ten change of feed, which disturbs n cow's digestion, mny have a very marked effect on tho per cent, of fat' in her milk; otherwise the increase or decrease in feed affects thn quantity of milk only. 5. The surroundings under which a cow is kept may jmvc a great effect on the test of her milk. Protection from rough weather will have a tendency to help the milk production nnd keep the tet of Hip milk uniform, while rough treatment and exposure to Mitlden extremes of temperature may cause the test to vary greatly. G. The kind of milking, such ns irregular milking, milking fast or slow, etc.," has, a great effect on the test of a cow's milk. Kvery cow should be milked in a uniform and quiet way, as this help? her to produce the maximum cjuunlity and to keep the quality about uniform.

7. Intervals between milking., The longer the time between milkiiigs the thinner the milk, uud Hie cflVct which this has on the production of milk by cows is so great that seme dairymen milk their cows "by the watch"—that is, at exactly the smne minute both morning aud night. 8. The treatment of thn cow during milking tind at other times lias a great effect on the test, of her milk.

!). Sickness. If a cow is "off her feed' -, and her temperature rises, the test oi milk in almost every caso mny increase, while the quantity decreases.

10. Change of milkers. This is one of the most important factors in* getting a uniform amount of richness of milk from cows. Any change of milkers is. noticed immediately by a cow, and the effect is often very striking. All these factors have an influence on the milk production, and the extent to which they will effect the test of a cow's milk will depend very largely on the sensitiveness and the nervous disposition of each particular cow.