SKIM MILK ANALYSIS

Shannon News, 25 October 1927, Page 3

SKIM MILK ANALYSIS

FEEDING VALUE FOR CALVES AND PIGS. To most farmers all skim milk is qual. Deprived of its butter-fat it is looked upon as all alike in feeding value. Yet. according to an American authority it varies considerably n its quota of solids. Milk tested 3.5 per cent, contains ipproximatcly 8.231 b. solids not fat is compared with 8.971 b. solids not 'at for 4.5 per cent, milk and 9.171 b. ;olids not fat for 5 per cent. milk. Solids not fat in the skim milk would be somewhat larger per 1001 b. than with the whole milk. However, .as aiming the same relationship exists it is estimated on the average that Holsloin skim milk contains approximately 8.31b5. solids not fat, and Jersey skim milk 8.21 b. solids not fat, while Guernsey skim milk would contain 91b. solids not fat. . As indicated above, the higher testing milk will produce nkim milk having slightly creator feeding value than does the lower testing milk.

While this is true of the averages•)f all these different tests of milk, yet ndividual cows themselves will van greatly. It would not be at all tin usual to find milk testing 3.5 per cent fat that would have over 9 per cent solids not fat, while milk testing I per cent, fat might have less than 9 per cent, solids not fat. However with a greater number of cases averaged up, it would be found that the higher the milk tests the higher the content of solids not fat, and it is the solids no fat that represent the feeding value of the skim milk. If con sidercd on the basis of a large quantity of milk this is quite an important factor; yet in the case of the individual calf consuming less than 20lb. of milk a day, the additional feed value of the skim milk containing niort solids not fat is not a very material factor, as it would prove not to ex cecd .1 to .2 of a pound additional feed material daily. From the point of view of feeding either calves or pigs it would appear as if the difference in the feeding value of skim milk according to the test of the whole milk is not very important.