86 Journal of Agriculture. [8 Feb., 1908. 



THE KEEPIXCI OF MILK AND ITS RELATIOX TO 

 FLAVORS IX CHEESE. 



/. G. McMillan, X.D.D.. Cheese Expert. 

 Location of Faults. 



During the past spring and in fact up to the moment of writing there 

 have been more complaints amongst cheesemakers about bad flavors than 

 there have been for years past. Even from dairies where bad flavors were 

 seldom known complaints oome to hand. To what the faults are 

 attributable is in some instances invisible to the naked eye cleanliness being 

 observed as strictly as in previous years. The fault must, therefore, be 

 due to some abnormal conditions. 



Bad flavors are mainly due to uncleanliness, di-scased cows, cows in 

 season, feed, water supply, and the addition of colostrum or beestings. 

 The first milk which the cow gi\-es is commonly known as beestings. This 

 differs, principally, from ordinary milk by the excessive percentage of 

 albumenoid matter which constitutes about 20 per cent, of the total con- 

 stituents ; the water being also of a much lower percentage. At time of 

 parturition this substance is of a reddish- yellow color and has a viscous 

 and slimy consistency. Gradually this sliminess disappears varying with 

 different cows from 4 to 6 days, in some cases as much as 10 days, before 

 becoming normal. The milk from a newly-calved cow should not be .sent 

 to the factory until it will stand boiling without thickening. If it thickens 

 it is unfit for cheese or buttermaking purposes. To keep such milk back 

 is no waste as it can be profitably given to the calf being specially suited 

 for the digestive organs of the newly-born animal. Its use strengthens the 

 digestion adapting the organs gradually to a change of diet consisting 

 principally of skim milk or whey or their mixtures. The beestings of 

 one cow will contaminate a whole vat of milk resulting in bad cheese or 

 butter. 



There are other disea.ses of milk which are sources of trouble. Red 

 milky for instajice, may be caused by some disease in the cow's udder 

 or through the action of a certain organism (Bacillus prodigiosus). Red 

 milk due to trouble in the udder may he distinguished from that caused 

 by bacterial action by placing some of the milk in a test tube and allowing 

 it to settle for some time. When due to the former cause small blood 

 particles will settle at the bottom of the tubes but when due to tlie latter 

 cause small red spots will appear on the surface. 



Blue and yellow milk are occasionallv found and each fault is due to 

 bacterial action, but are dependent on certain conditions for their develop- 

 ment. 



Ropy milk is sometimes come across but it is a matter for gratification 

 that we have but little of it. In the making of Edam cheese a culture 

 of the organism which produces this condition is desired but for butter 

 or the making of ordinarv Cheddar cheese it is a most undesirable milk 

 to have. When the finger is inserted into ropy milk and drawn out it 

 draws awav in threads almost like syrup. This trouble is due to bacterial 

 action and may be caused by disea.sed udders. There is. however, a 

 certain plant, {Pinguicula vulgaris) commonly known as butterwort, found 

 in Norway and occasionally in Great Britain, which when fed to cows or 

 the leaves placed in milk produces stringiness. When slimy milk occurs 

 a considerable quantity of lactic acid should be developed previous to 



