THE INFLUENCE OF THE PLANE OF NUTRITION 



UPON THE PERCENTAGE OF FAT IN MILK 



AND THE PROPERTIES OF THE FAT 



C. H. ECKLES 



It is a well-known fact that the percentage of fat present 

 in milk is subject to wide variations. Among the most im- 

 portant causes known to be responsible for these variations 

 are breed of animal, stage of lactation and the individuality 

 of the animal dependent upon heredity. In addition the 

 author has found certain other factors not previously recog- 

 nized to be of considerable importance. Among these are 

 seasonal variations, 1 fatness of the cow at parturition, 2 and 

 plane of nutrition/ 5 Although the second and third factors 

 .are not identical, they are closely related and some material 

 concerning both is included in the present paper. 



The fat percentage of milk may be increased decidedly 

 above the normal for the animal concerned for a short time 

 after parturition, and increased to a less extent for a longer 

 period, provided the animal has been fed 011 a high plane 

 of nutrition for a sufficient time previous to parturition to 

 make it possible for a large amount of fat to be deposited in 

 the body tissues and that the plane of nutrition following 

 parturition is reduced to a point below the actual requirements 

 of the body. The underfeeding following parturition does 

 not necessarily result from feed being purposely withheld 

 by the feeder but because the animal when in high flesh at the 



1 C. H. Eckles, Jahrezeitliche Schivankugen des prozentischen Fettge- 

 lialtes in Kuhmilch in Milchivirtschaftliches Zentralblatt, Heft 11, pp. 

 488-502, 1909. 



2 Ibid., Influence of Fatness of Cow at Parturition on Per Cent of Fat in 

 Milk, Bulletin 100, Mo. A^r. Exp. Station, 1912. 



3 C. H. Eckles and L.. S, rainier, Influence of the Plane of Nutrition of 

 the Cow Upon the Composition and Properties of Milk and Butter Fat. 

 Overfeeding, Research Bulletin 24, p. 35 ; Underfeeding. Bulletin 25, p. 

 106, Mo. Agri. Exp. Station, 1916. 



