DAIRY FARMING DAIRYING. 385 



Effect of feed on tlie composition of milk, butter fat, and on the consist- 

 ency or body of butter, J. B. Lixdsey et al. {Massachusetts Sta. Rpt. 1900, pp. 14- 

 33). — Thii^ is a suininarized account of experiments relative to the effect of food on 

 the quaUty of milk and butter, conducted at the station durin<j; a period of 6 years. 

 The conditions of the different experiments are noted and some of the results are 

 given in tables. Full data for the work, however, are to be published later. The 

 effect of different quantities of protein on the composition of milk was studied in 

 earlier work (E. S. E., 11, p. 577). The effect of fat on the composition of milk was 

 studied in 3 exi)eriments, 2 of which were considered as preliminary. In the third 

 experiment, made with 10 cows and covering 16 weeks, a ration furnishing 0.5 lb. of 

 digestible fat was compared with a ration furnishing 1.75 lbs. The effect of this 

 ration on the composition of the butter fat and on the character of the butter was 

 also noted. Experiments W and Y were made with 12 cows and lasted 5 weeks. 

 Experiment VI was made with 10 cows and lasted 12 weeks. In the 3 experiments 

 rations containing Cleveland flax meal, Chicago gluten meal, King gluten meal, and 

 cotton-seed meal, respectively, were compared with a grain ration adopted as a 

 standard, the effect of the different concentrated feeds on the butter fat and butter 

 being studied. The following deductions are made from the results of the expei'iments : 



"(1) Different amounts of protein do not seem to have any influence on the com- 

 position of the milk. 



"(2) Linseed oil in flax-seed meal, when fed in considerable quantities (1.-4 lbs. 

 digestible oil daily), increased the fat i^ercentage and decreased the nitrogenous mat- 

 ter of the milk. This fat increase was only temporary, the milk gradually returning 

 (in 4 or 5 weeks) to its normal fat content. The nitrogenous- matter also gradually 

 returned to normal, but more slowly than the fat. 



"(3) In general, feeds containing much oil have a tendency to slightly increase 

 the fat content of milk when first fed. The fat percentage gradually returns to 

 normal. 



"(4) It is not practicable to feed large amounts of oil to cows, as it has a tendency 

 to derange the digestive and milk-secreting organs. 



''(5) Linseed oil effected a noticeable change in the composition of the butter fat, 

 causing a <lecrease in the volatile acids and an increase in the melting point and 

 iodin coeflicient. 



"(6) All oils do not produce the same effects on butter fat. 



"(7) The melting point of butter fat is not always indicative of the firmness or 

 body of butter. 



"(8) An excess of linseed oil produced a soft, salvy butter, with an inferior flavor. 



"(9) Linseed and corn gluten meals, with a minimum percentage of oil (3 per 

 cent), produced a normal butter fat. The corn gluten meal produced butter with 

 a desirable flavor and of good body. 



"(10) King gluten meal (corn gluten meal with 13 per cent oil) increased the 

 iodin coeflicient of the butter fat several degrees above standard ration butter fat, 

 and slightly depressed the melting point of the fat. This effect was probably due to 

 the corn oil. The same meal produced butter of a very desirable flavor and body. 

 [The author notes, however, that the body of the butter might have been considered 

 by some as lacking in fli'mness.] 



"(11) Cotton-seed meal jjroduced butter fat (juite similar in composition to that 

 produced by the standard ration. The butter produced by this meal was rather 

 crumbly when hard, and slightly salvy to the taste." 



The college herd, C. W. Burkett ( A>»' Hampshire Sta. Bui. 79, pp. 23, 24)- — A 

 ta1)ulated summary of the herd record from November 1, 1899, to October 31, 1900. 

 "The herd has been equivalent to 349 milch cows and (54 dry cows for one month, 

 and has produced 171, 883 lbs. of milk and 10,219 lbs. of butter. There has been an 

 average of 29 cows in milk for each month, i)roducing an average of 495 lbs. of milk 



