1482 CATTI.E 



Thus the Egyptian cotton cake while costing more than the palmnut 

 kernel cake produced less milk without increasing the gain in live weight 

 of the cows or the percentage of fat in the milk. It should be stated that 

 the cows do not take readily to palmnut kernel cake unless it is damp 

 with treacle solution or dusted with locust bean meal. 



1098- Studies on the Hygienic Production of Milk: Importance and Control of the 

 Microflora of the Udder in the Selection of Dairy Cows. — Gorini, costantino, in 



Ri:ah In^tituto Lonibardo di Scieiizc c Letti'/c, Rfiitliconti, Vol. XI^IX, part. 14, pp. 480- 

 489 Milan, June zz. igi6. 



The writer's previous investigations carried out since 1901 have esta- 

 blished the following facts : i) the microflora of the udder is characteristic 

 and composed of acid-forming bacteria ; 2) with these bacteria the coccus 

 forms predominate, particularly the micrococcus {Bacillus minimus mam- 

 mae) but bacillus forms are also met with ; 3) the microflora assists both 

 the digestion of the milk and the ripening of the cheese, by its peptonising 

 action on the casein ; 4) in some cases the microflora of the udder contains 

 the common lactic organisms, principally of the streptococcus type ; 5) 

 sometimes, although originating in a healthy udder, it exercises a harm- 

 ful action on the milk. 



Subsequent investigations made in the Bacteriological I^aboratory 

 of the Agricultural High School of Milan, confirm the above results and 

 lead also to the following conclusions. 



i) The importance of the microflora of the iidder increases as niilk- 

 ing approaches the ideal condition' of asepsis, i. e. the absence of external 

 microbial contamination. 



2) The micro-organisms of the udder are most often found grouped 

 in albuminous clots, which not only makes their enumeration difficult, but 

 also gives them a marked power to resist heat, although they are not spo- 

 rulating. 



3) The microflora of the udder is not affected by the hygienic 

 condition of the cow-sheds, and for this reason bacterial counts of milk may 

 not give a true indication of the cleanliness of the milking process. 



.1) The microflora of the udder seems to be connected with external 

 and internal factors which still require to be investigated. With certain 

 cows the quantitative and qualitative examination yield such persistently 

 high results, that the condition may almost be described as abnormal 

 though not pathological. 



The writer proposes that in the selection of heifers for the production 

 of milk, not only their state of health but also the microflora of their udders 

 should be taken into account. Such selection is particularly necessary in the 

 case of the so-called " sanitary milks ", milked by aseptic methods and in- 

 tended, both in the raw and pasteurised or sterilised condition, for the feed- 

 ing of infants and invalids. 



The method of examining the microflora is described by the writer. Or- 

 dinary methods of culture on artificial media cannot be employed, but 

 the fermentation test or lactozymoscopic test is used ; the latter must be 



