272 EXPEKIMENT STATION EEOOBD. 



ranged from 3.8 per cent to over 8 per cent, the average being approximately 

 4.5 per cent. The average milk-fat production per cow for each of the 3 sea- 

 sons was, 255.77, 304.6, and 236.49 lbs., respectively. 



It is stated that the crossing of these Red Poll cattle on native grade ma- 

 terial produces the polled characteristics and an improvement in dairy qualities. 



Tlie new champion cow {Milk Dealer, 3 (1913), No. 1, p. 7). — An account of 

 the Jersey cow. Eminent Bess, which now holds the world's record for per- 

 formance for that breed, with a year's production of over 18,732 lbs. of milk 

 and 963 lbs. milk fat. The record was made under the supervision of the 

 Michigan Experiment Station. 



Experiments with the milking machine, N. O. Hofman-Bang et al. {Ber. 

 K. Yet. og Laiidbohdjskoles Lah. Landokonom. Forsog {Copenhagen^, 81 (1913), 

 pp. 45, figs. 5). — It was demonstrated that the use of the milking machine was 

 entirely practicable, and except in the case of cows with sore or cracked teats, 

 or poorly placed teats, the results obtained were practically equal to hand 

 milking. The machine milking did not appear to have any influence on the fat 

 content of the milk. 



The report also describes trials with a milk cooler conducted during the 

 year 1912-13. 



Action of a pituitary solution as the active principle in milk secretion, 

 B. A. HoussAY, L. GiusTi, and C. Maag (Rev. Mens. Cdm. Merc., 13 (1913), No. 

 125, pp. 58-68). — This article outlines experiments in which a pituitary solu- 

 tion was injected into the blood stream of female animals with a view to de- 

 termining the effect upon the milk secretion. The results corroborated those of 

 Schiifer and Mackenzie (E. S. R., 25, p. 680) and in general indicated a tem- 

 porarily increased yield as the result of the injection of this solution. 



Increase in the specific weight of freshly drawn milk, W. Fleischmann 

 and G. Wiegnee (Jour. Landw., 61 (1913), No. 3, pp. 283-323).— Tests were 

 conducted to determine the causes for the increase in the specific gravity or 

 so-called " thickening " of milk, which takes place in the first few hours after 

 milking and at temperatures under the melting point of milk fat. Investiga- 

 tions were made into the influence of the retention of absorbed gases on the 

 specific gravity of milk, on the changes in the constitution of the milk sugars, 

 on the consistency of the fat globules, and on the influence due to the so-called 

 rise of casein. These explanations for the rise in specific gravity' of freshly 

 drawn milk were found to be unsatisfactory, and it was concluded that this 

 phenomenon was due to the progressive coagulation of the milk fat, which is 

 liquid at the time of milking. 



Thickening did not occur when the milk was prevented from cooling at tem- 

 peratures at which fat can coagulate, nor did it take place in separated milk 

 in which the fat content was low.. An increase in specific gravity was obtained 

 under the requisite conditions with emulsions made from milk fat and water, 

 while the phenomenon was not noticed vrith emulsions of oils which remain 

 liquid at the temperatures in question. The increase in specific gravity of 

 freshly drawn milk begins with the cooling under the melting point of the milk 

 fats and lasts from 4 to 6 hours. Thereafter the specific gravity is constant at 

 all temperatures. 



The variation in the volatile fatty acids content of milk fat during the 

 lactation period of 4 cows of the Boyal Domain of Kleinhof-Tapiau, C. W. 

 Beebbohm (Die Schwankungen im GeJialte des Butterfettes an fluchtigen Fet- 

 tsduren wdhrend der Laktation von 4 Kiihen der Egl. Domdne Kleinhof-Tapiau. 

 Inaug. Diss., Univ. Konigsherg, 1913, pp. 65, figs. 2).— In these investigations it 

 was found that the colostrum fat of the first milking had a very low content of 

 water-soluble and insoluble volatile fatty acids. Both the period of lactation 



