10 Feb., 1917.] Hints on the Sejxirator. 119 



iiim-li loss, the fow.« were being inilkeil in a flfiin, well floored and 

 drained shed, bnt woro paddoeked at night in a small paddock where 

 there was a considcralile accumulation of manure. This was altered 

 by turning the cows into another paddock, where there was clean grass 

 to lie ui)on, and from that time the inimber of cows freshly affected 

 was considerably reduced, and the spread of the disease checked. 



Thus we see that too much c'urc and attention cannot be given to 

 the keeping of everything connected with dairying clean and tidy. 

 A sure means of conveying mamniitis from one cow to another is to 

 use only the one can of water to wash all udders, as is also the dirty 

 milker who allows the slime to accumulate on his hands. Spilt milk 

 lying about, or any filth, is a great attraction to the flies, and these may 

 carry the disease from cow to cow. 



As regards the loss that mammitis is causing annually to the dairy- 

 ing industry, an estimate can only be approximate; but if the pro- 

 ]iortion found to be affected in the district jireviously referred to were 

 maintained throughout the State of Victoria, the amount would be a 

 large one. 



Liefore the drought, 1914-15, there were 610,500 dairy cows milking 

 in the State; S ])er cent, of these would be 48,840 cows affected witli 

 mannnitis. 



The loss sustained by the dairying industry through these cows 

 being unfit for tlie ])roduction of wholesome milk, may be computed at 

 £5 per cow. 



This would mean £244,200 lost annually to the industry, to say 

 nothing of the loss of the cows which are sold for slaughter on account 

 of the disease. In view of the taxation that must inevitably accrue as 

 a result of the great war we are carrying on at present, can the farmers 

 afford any longer to neglect these important matters, and allow this 

 great leakage to occur? 



HINTS ON THE SEPARATOR. 



rii/ J. ir. M cKenzie, Dtiirt/ Sii pt-rrisor. 



Considerable loss occurs in separating upon many dairy farms as a 

 result of inattention to important details which have marked effect upon 

 the farmer's legitimate profits. Cleaniness, the dairyman's watchword, 

 is in everything foremost. A separator which has not been thoroughly 

 cleansed is certain to contaminate the cream, and as quality determines 

 value in cream the importance of observation of cleanliness cannot be too 

 forcibly expounded ; furthermore a dirty separator does not, by a long 

 way, recover the whole of the cream contained in the milk, therefore 

 the net result which follows lack of scrupulous cleanliness is: (1) 

 inferior quality cream ; (2) cream is onlv partially recovered. For these 

 reasons, apart from sanitary consideration, the reprehensible practice 

 of leaving the separator unwashed overnight and running the milk 

 through on the following morning cannot be too strongly condemned. 



