302 Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [lo May, 191 i. 



readily sell all they can produce. At the same time, it is recognised that 

 in the spring flush some cows do give milk that is not quite up to standard' 

 quality during at least a short period after calving ; and if there were 

 many such freshening in a herd at the same time,, ,the owner might be 

 called to account on the quality of his milk as estimated on its butter-fat 

 content. There is little chance of this occurring where a farmer keeps 

 up a regular supply of milk the year through, and arranges that his cows 

 will freshen at different months throughout the year. 



•A cow's milk is at its lowest butter- fat content in the flush of the few 

 weeks subsequent to each calving ; and, as the period of lactation lengthens- 

 the milk increases in quality r and becomes normal at some six to eight 

 weeks after calving; , tlien it is usually several points above the required" 

 stahdard. Thus, where the rnilk supply of a farm is kept up to a regular 

 quantity throughout the y€ar, there is always enough of the richer milk in 

 the bulk yield, if- -properly mixed, .to more than counterbalance any slight 

 deficiency that might occur in the milk of a few freshly calved cows. 



Cheap Milk. 



The retail dairyman's inherent 'desire for cheap milk may, however,, 

 at times get him into difficulties unexpectedly. With the incoming of 

 summer, there is always an increased demand for milk, arising from the 

 extra quantity required in making ice-cream and for liquid refreshments. 

 Oujside the suburban radius there are many farmers who carry on their 

 dairying on the natural pasture alone. They claim it does not pay to 

 hand-feed, so they dry off their cows in the autumn ; and work is sus- 

 pended till they all freshen again in the spring when grass is plentiful. 

 Not being to any expense or trouble in regard to winter feeding such 

 dairy-farmers have no lee-way to make up, and are ready to sell their 

 milk at a cheaper rate than they would otherwise do if they had to hand 

 feed to supply a regular trade. A dairyman with an increased spring^ 

 trade may be tempted by an offer of cheap milk from one of these farmers, 

 heedless of the fact that, if the cows producing it are all freshly calved,, 

 their milk will be at its lowest quality. If it so happened that this cheap 

 milk were sampled and its owner fined, the standard would be said to be 

 too high; when it was really the dairyman's anxiety to make a little 

 extra profit that caused his downfall. A fair price for good milk is the 

 best trade motto. 



Many retail dairymen who are supplied by several farmers pay a 

 retaining fee for the services of an expert analyst who tests the milk of 

 each supplier as often as may be required. Should any fault be found 

 the dairyman can then take steps for his own protection. Misstatements 

 are, however, known to occur in this connexion. On one occasion, a 

 farmer, being informed by his retailer that his milk was not up to 

 standard quality, applied to the Board of Health for his milk to be 

 tested on the farm. This was done, and from over thirty samples taken 

 at different milkings there was an average result of 4.5 per cent, of 

 butter-fat ; and none of the samples went below 4 per cent. Evidently 

 a misstatement or deliberate adulteration had taken place somewhere ; 

 but at least the result exonerated the cows. Those dairymen who retail 

 milk from their own herds find no necessity for retaining the services of 

 an analyst ; as the standard does not cause them any uneasiness. 



Development of Refrigeration. 



Legitimate competition improves trade, and improvement in condition 

 of premises generally follows, in order that trade may still further in- 



