890 ON THE MILK OF THE COW. 



Morning. Evening. 



Sp. gr. 1031. Sp. gr. 1031. 



Water 8454 82-40 



Dry 15-46 17-60 



Casein 6-91 7-36 



Batter 6-87 7-40 



Sugar 2-70 2-85 



The quantity given in the morning is greater, and the interval which elapsed between the 

 milkings greater. It is pos.sible the first secretion is richer than the last. I am certain only in 

 the results obtained ; the reasons for those results are not well determined. The animal had 

 been fed upon brewers' grains. 



One object I had in taking up the investigation, was to determine the effect of brewers' 

 grains on the composition of milk. The common opinion is that this food conduces to the 

 secretion of milk, but that the mUk is poor and watery : this was my own opinion. There is 

 an opinion, which is undoubtedly true, that much of the milk which is sold by the milk men of 

 our large cities is inferior to the ordinary milk of the country — observation proves this. But 

 the inferior quality of the milk may be due to two or more causes. The food may be too 

 watery, and in a condition to injure the general health of the animal, or the confinement in 

 stables, together with the food, may conjointly act to bring about an imperfect action of the 

 milk gland, the result of which may be the secretion of milk poor in butter and cheese. Exer- 

 cise in the open air is as necessary, if not more so, to the cow as to the human family. Slops 

 never injure cows, unless they are confined to them, and also confined to the stable. For their 

 health, too, it is necessary that they should be supplied with food which requires mastication. 

 Strong pressure upon the teeth is necessary to preserve them in a healthy state : their looseness 

 when fed on slops is due, in a great and important degree, to inaction. There is wanting the 

 stimulus of use and exercise to the jaws, as well as the legs of the animal, and this stimulus is 

 necessary to preserve the balance of the system, and maintain a due degree of health. I have 

 said that slops are not injurious, in themselves. This statement is verified by the fact that 

 small families who keep a single cow and feed her upon refuse matters from the kitchen, is 

 always in a good and healthy condition, and gives excellent milk, as well as large quantities 

 of it, for in this case she is allowed to run and roam at large, and enjoys the luxury of air and 

 exercise. But reverse the circumstances, confine the same cow to the close stable, but feed her 

 in the same way, or feed her upon soft food, that which does not require mastication, and she 

 soon loses her health, her teeth will fall out, and she will become diseased in her hoofs. 



The effect of feeding a cow on grains for one week may be seen in the following analysis : 



Water, 8240 



Dry matter 17-60 



Casein 7-37 



Butter 7-40 ^ 



Sugar 2-85 



