lo Sept., 1909.] Tlic Lady Talbot Milk Institute. 551 



infection of the udder l)v the Institute's Bacteriologist (Dr. Bull), any cows 

 showing such infection being immediately rejected for the .supply of 

 Talbot milk. 



Milking Shed and Surroundings. — The impervious floor of the milk- 

 ing shed is constructed of brick, grouted with cement, and graded in such 

 form as to be easily and quickly flushed with \vater and to carry off any 

 byre fluids. The shed is open on one side, and the perflation which this 

 allows of, results in complete freedom from all stuffiness and the obnoxious 

 smells usually to be obserwd in cow-sheds. The open side of the shed 

 faces the east, and is so constructed as to allow of almost complete insola- 

 tion with the morning sun. The holding yards at the end and back of 

 the milking-shed are paved Avith stone pitchers, and there is no unpa\ed 

 surface on an}- side of the shed which is unprotected by other buildings 

 from the wind, so that the dust nuisance is reduced to the minimum degree 

 possible with an open shed. A separate feeding shed is provided along 

 the front of the milking shed, and the cows, after being milked, pass 

 from their bails through doors in front, to be fed in the stalls of the 

 feeding shed. This arrangement of separate feeding and milking sheds — 

 apart from enabling (]uicker progress to be made with the milking of the 

 herd — has the great sanitary advantage that the milking shed is kept free 

 from the dust, debris, taints and smells always associated with manger 

 feeding. There is no food debris to attract flies into the milking shed, 

 and furthermore, the cows while lx;ing milked are not in that excited 

 .state which is usual when milking and feeding are carried on at the same 

 time. The other buildings comprise cooler rooms, a utensil storage room, 

 a w-ash-up shed in which is the utensil sterilising plant, boiler house, and 

 a machinery room. All these buildings have brick floors, and are other- 

 wise sanitarily constructed, the rooms in which milk is handled having 

 their openings protected by fly wire blinds and doors. 



]\IiLKiNG Methods. — The cows have been machine-milked throughout 

 the whole period of supply. All the cows' udders are clipped bare of 

 hair. The tail, rump and quarters are cleansed whenever soiled. Before 

 each milking, the udders and teats are washed Avith warm water and dried, 

 the water being changed between each cow, and oftener if required. Be- 

 fore the machines are applied, the first milking of each quarter to the 

 amount of three or four squirts (about 2 oz.) is milked by hand into a 

 special bucket labelled "Rejected Milk.'"" The milker "s hands are 

 thoroughly washed with warm water and soap before commencing the re- 

 moval of the fore milk or affixing the machines. Each milker or attendant 

 is supplied wdth clean w^ishable OAeralls, which are worn during the whole 

 of the operations — both during milking and the subsequent treatment of 

 the milk. 



Handling of Milk. — As each pair of cows is milked the milk of each 

 is weighed separatel}' and the amounts recorded. The milk is at once 

 carried across to the cooling room — a distance of 15 10 20 feet — and 

 emptied into a funnel strainer connected with a \<\t, from which it 

 passes to the centrifuge (milk-cleansing machine). After passing through 

 this machine, the milk passes over two Lawrence coolers. The first of 

 these is operated with well water, and reduces the temperature of the milk 

 to about 60 deg. The second c-ooler is ojoerated with refrigerated brine, 

 and the milk on passing over this is reduced to a temperature of 35 degrees 

 as it enters the transport cans. These cans are provided with ice-floats, 

 whereby the low temperature is maintained, and the milk is usually de- 

 livered to the contractors at their City Depot in Bourke-street at a tempera- 

 ture of alx)ut 40 degrees. 



