206 



DESCRIPTION OF FEED STUFFS 



cheese, etc., it is only used for stock feeding in the case of beef 

 animals, and for dairy and breeding animals during the early life 

 of the calves. It is, therefore, not necessary to describe in this 

 place the chemical or physical properties of all milk, beyond a few 

 observations as to its value for young stock. 



Colostrum Milk. Immediately after calving a thick, viscous 

 liquid, known as colostrum, is secreted by the cow; in the course 

 of two or three days this gradually changes to normal milk. The 

 colostrum differs from milk in its high content of solids, albumen, 

 and ash, while the percentages of fat and sugar which it contains 

 are somewhat lower than those of normal milk. Owing to its 

 high albumen content, colostrum will thicken (coagulate) on heat- 

 ing. The average chemical composition of colostrum and normal 

 cow^s milk and milk of other farm animals will be seen from the 

 following table : 



Average Composition of Milk, in Per Cent (Konig) 



The colostrum of the other milk-producing animals is corre- 

 spondingly high in albumen and ash compared with that of milch 

 cows. Whole milk is the first feed of young animals, and is a com- 

 plete feed, containing all the elements necessary for the sustenance 

 and growth of the young. On account of the relatively large fat 

 globules in milk rich in butter fat, this is not, however, adapted for 

 feeding young pigs and lambs ; digestive disturbances are likely to 

 occur when such milk is fed, 2 and animals do not make as satisfac- 

 tory gain on such milk as on w r hole milk lower in fat or on skim milk. 

 A similar harmful effect of an excess of fat in the milk has been 

 frequently observed in feeding infants. 



Calves are fed the dam's milk for only a day or two after freshen- 

 ing in ordinary farm practice, except in the case of beef, exhibition, 



2 Storrs (Conn.) Bulletin 31. 



