80 Missouri Agricultural Rp-port. 



stable with good floor, a platform the proper length to stand upon, 

 a suitable gutter and a manger, and it is possible, at least, to keep 

 the conditions fairly good. Then keep the cow decently clean. 

 Curry her and brush off the udder and adjoining parts of the body 

 with a stiff brush before milking. 



Do not depend upon a strainer to take out the dirt. Straining 

 milk does not help the conditions of the milk in the least, except in 

 appearance by removing the visible dirt. It does not keep an 

 hour longer when strained than it does, if not strained. My stu- 

 dents have demonstrated this to be a fact several times. The only 

 way to have clean milk is to keep it clean in the first place. 



Next to dirt in the barn comes improperly cleaned utensils as 

 a source of contamination. A single dirty can may contain more 

 bacteria than there are inhabitants in the world and as soon as 

 milk is placed therein they are all ready for business. In cleaning 

 utensils a brush is the only proper thing to use, a dish cloth is not 

 only unnecessary but should not be allowed to be used in cleaning 

 pails, cans or cream separators. 



All these and many more details are covered by the ona word, 

 cleanliness. Cleanliness is keeping bacteria out. But in spite of 

 the best efforts at cleanliness many bacteria will find their way into 

 milk. If we wish to have milk or cream to keep in good condition 

 some time, we must check these bacteria from growing. The only 

 practical harmless method of doing this is cooling. To get the real 

 benefit of cooling, it must be done at once, after milking. It is 

 very important that it be not delayed. Milk cooled at once to 60 

 degrees even, and kept there, will usually remain sweet 48 hours 

 or longer. Of course the most effective cooling means reducing 

 the temperature to 50 or under. 



When cooling milk care should be taken that it really is cooled. 

 It will not do to set an 8-gallon can of cream in a tub of well water 

 and think it properly cooled. A thermometer should be used often 

 enough to make sure that the cooling really is effective. One of my 

 students recently made an experiment that showed this point very 

 plainly. He took two eight-gallon cans of milk, one he cooled to 

 50 degrees, the other was uncooled. The two were placed in a 

 room at a temperature of fifty-five degrees. The cooled sample 

 remained sweet six days ; the uncooled soured in 48 hours. 



Cleanliness and coldness are the two great principles to re- 

 member in handling milk. 



