FOODS ANIMAL PRODUCTION. 



455 



Arrauging tlie results of tlie fat deteiiiiinatioiis made in the milk 

 from the iadividual cows according to the time of calving-, whether in 

 the fall or spring, and in both cases lor eacli sm-cessive month of the 

 lactation period, the results show that the lowest fat content of tlie 

 milk, as a rule, both for fall and for spring calving cows, came during 

 the second or the third month of the period of lactation. There is a 

 gradual increase toward tlie end of the period in both cases, as will be 

 seen from the average results given below : 



Average per cent of fat in cows' milk in different months of lactation. 



Number of cows incJiuled. 



Cows calving in spring: 



8 



5 



3 



Cows calving in fall : 



8 



9 



Montli of lactation period. 



3.0 

 2.7 

 2.9 



3.4 

 3.1 



2.8 

 2.4 

 2.5 



3.1 



2.5 



2.8 

 2.5 



2.7 



2.8 

 2.7 



2.9 

 3.3 

 2.7 



2.8 

 2.7 



3.4 

 3.5 

 3.0 



2.7 

 2.9 



Comparative determinations of the fat content of samples of milk by 

 the lactocrite and the gravimetric or Soxhlet's aerometric methods made 

 incidentally gave on an average of 26 analyses: Lactocrite, 3.02 per 

 cent; results divided by 1.03, as directed, 2.94 jier cent; gravimetric 

 or Soxhlet's methods, 2,94 ])er cent. — F. w. woll. 



On the importance of fat determinations as an accessory in 

 the improvement of dairy cattle, A. La Coue {Tid.skr.f. Landolon., 

 13 {1894), pp. 303-336). — The paper discusses the various means at our 

 disposal for developing the productive capacity of milch cows, and 

 especially the ({uestion of the hereditary transmission of good milking 

 qualities from one generation to another, both yield and composition 

 being considered. 



The cause of the enormous increase in the i^roduction of butter in 

 Denmark during late years, according to the author, lies in the improved 

 system of feeding and the better treatment of the cows on the small 

 dairy farms. The best herds at the large Danish estates yield on an 

 average 5,500 to 0,000 lbs. of milk ])er head annually, and only excep- 

 tionally reach the latter figure, while the average yields at the best 

 smaller farms are from 1,650 to 2,200 lbs. higher. The conditions of the 

 smaller dairy farms are more favorable for the improvement of the 

 herd than those of the larger ones. 



As a first attempt of a study in this line the author investigated the 

 yield and quality of the milk of 101 cows at the estate of Niisgaard for 

 5 consecutive years, beginning in the fall of 1888. The milk from each 

 cow was weighed and sampled once a week, separate samples being 

 taken of the evening and the morning milkings, and tbe percentage of 



