142 AgricvltnraJ Journal of Victoria. 



Uses of Milk Flour. 



From the liighly concentrated nature of this product it is evident 

 that it will j)rove of value not so much as a food by itself but rather 

 as an addition to those foods in which protein is deficient. For naval 

 and military forces it will be invaluable. Its extended u.se in many 

 trades would appear to be only a matter of time, and for invalids and 

 children it is already daily presciibed by physicians. The numerous 

 uses to which this new pioduct has been put are not surprising, when 

 it is considered that a recent Couunittee of Investigation reported that 

 one ounce of tlie powder is equal, in nourishing and sustaining pro- 

 perties, to SJ lbs. of the finest beef, or about 10 to 12 lbs. of fresh milk. 



It is easily seen that the profitable utilisation of the enormous 

 quantities of skimmed milk, that aiuiually goes to waste the world 

 over, will have a most important influence upon tiie farming industry. 

 The greatest possibilities, from tlie dairyman's point of view, would 

 seem to lie in the reduction of the cost of production so that it may 

 be possible' to utilise milk flour as a food for cattle. As Dr. Howell 

 points out in this issue, in his article on " Co-operative Forage Ex- 

 periments," it is an easy matter to raise large crops of rape, maize, 

 sorghum, or pumpkins, containing but little protein, but quite a 

 different and nmch more expensive process to produce forage rich in 

 protein. Something little short of a revolution in farming practice 

 would ensue, should it become possible to furnish our dairy herds with 

 the necessary j)iotein by means of small amounts of milk flour, with 

 a high protein content, added to the cheaply-raised, bulky and succu- 

 lent fodders containing carbo-hydrates almost exclusively. Doubtless 

 the day is yet far distant when we will regard the cow as so much of a 

 machine that she will be furnished to-day with the protein in the form 

 of milk flour, which she gave us yesterday along with the butter fat 

 as fresh milk. The whole question, of course, is merel}^ one of pounds, 

 shillings and pence. Will it be cheaper to give milk flour to cows or 

 to feed pigs on skim milk, and buy or grow foods rich in protein ? 

 The economical production of protein is one of the greatest agricul- 

 tural problems of the day, so that the possibilities in the use of this 

 new product are worthy of the closest attention. 



