746 



Journal of A f/riciiJtiire, Victoria. [11 Dec, 1916. 



Table LXXVI. shows the average weekly fluctuations in the two 

 lot®. It is a striking fact that in every weekly average where in Lot I- 

 the cows were milked at equal intervals, the quantity of milk given at 

 the evening's milking was always greater than that given during the 

 morning. This result is also confirmed bv Table LXXiX. in the suc- 

 ceeding experiment. On the other hand, whereas in Lot II., the hours 

 of milking were uneven, the quantity of milk given at the morning's 

 milking was always greater than at the evening. A result in agreement 

 with general practice. 



From a further study of Table LXXVI. it would appear that equal 

 milkings tended to decrease the actual flow of milk. This, however, is 

 not a fair deduction, inasmuch as one of the cows of Lot I. fell off her 

 milk somewhat rapidly owing to advanced period of lactation, and in 

 the following experiment in spite of the fact that these cows were then 

 being milked at unequal intervals, the fall in the average weekly flow 

 of this same group of cows was greater than in the other. 



Table LXXVII. — Average Percentages of Butter-Fat in Milk for 



Each of Six Weeks. 



Week endina — 



1911. 

 7th July 

 14th July 

 21.st July 

 28th July 

 4 th August 

 11th August 

 Average for each of six weeks 

 Times milkings were under 



during six weeks 

 Highest 

 Lowest 



the 



standard 



Lot I. 



Milked at 6 a.m. and at 

 6 p.m. 



Lot II.. 



Milked at 6 a.m. and at 

 4 p.m. 



Average percentage of butter-fat in total daily yield 

 Total butter-fat in lb. per day 



Quality of the Milk. — Table LXXVII. indicates that equal 

 periods of milking are strikingly conducive to normal percentages of fat 

 in both morning's and evening's milk. As is well known, there is 

 often a great difficulty in getting the milk of cows up to the 3 per cent, 

 of fat limit each morning. If by every means possible care be taken to 

 equalize the intervals of milking there is no doubt that this would do 

 away with a good deal of trouble and worry to those farmers who are 

 anxiously desirous of producing milk of even quality. During a period 

 of six weeks in no case in the morning in the group of cows constituting 

 Lot I. was the milk below the recognised standard. Twice during the 



