DAIRY FARMING DAIRYING. 



87 



inents showed that different feeding stuffs and food mixtures in a very 

 large measure influence the quantity of milk yielded, as well as the 

 health and general condition of the cows. — F. w. woll. 



Obtaining milk under aseptic conditions, Backhatjs and W. 

 Cronheim (Her. Landw. Inst. Univ. Konigsberg, 2 (1897), pp. 12-32). — 

 Tins article treats of the method of obtaining milk as free from germs 

 as possible. The author believes that the more recent investigations 

 show the impossibility of obtaining milk from the udder of the cow, 

 either by milking tubes or by washing the udder, etc., which is entirely 

 free from germs. The results are given of the determination of the 

 germ content of milk from numerous creameries in Gottingen and 

 Konigsberg during several months of the year. These showed very 

 wide variations — from about 2,000 to over 20,000,000 germs (per cubic 

 centimeter). 



The milk of eight cows of the university herd, which was milked 

 with care into a sterile pail, rejecting the first five spurts of milk, 

 showed a germ content ranging in six trials from 1,800 to If, 750, the 

 average for the whole being 0,000. In many trials using milking tubes 

 or milking into sterile vessels, the lowest germ content found was 1,300. 

 It was frequently found that at a low temperature the germ content of 

 milk changed very little, although in some cases there was a decrease. 



The increase which may take place in handling milk by pouring it 

 from one vessel to another and in cooling, is shown by three experi- 

 ments, summarized as follows: 



Germ (■■>nt< )it of milk before mid after handling. 



Directly after milking 



After pouring into another vessel 



Alter passing through tlio milk cooler 



After catching in another vessel under the cooler 



Alter rilling in bottles and keeping for four or live hours in the cold 



Experiment of 



berT" 



14, 400 

 19,400 



21, 600 



21,400 

 35, 000 



10, 000 

 28,000 



:s8, ooo 



78, 600 

 102,000 



10,80(1 



6, 000 

 39,600 



17, 600 

 23, 200 



Several experiments are given showing the infection from the cow's 

 body, from which it is concluded that the cows should be carded and 

 brushed twice daily and the udder and adjoining parts washed once. 



Numerous experiments are also reported on the effect of the surround- 

 ings of the cow, bedding, excrement, feed, and manner of milking on 

 the germ content. It is concluded that for obtaining aseptic milk 

 the conditions are best in milking in the open air, although the proper 

 ventilation and general cleanliness of the stall are important matters. 

 Peat is regarded as a very favorable bedding, and if straw is to be used 

 it should be fresh and clean and free from any mold, dampness, etc. 

 The lowest germ content of the milk was observed when peat was used 

 for bedding. Experiments showed that infection with old manure was 



