DAIRYING AND BUTTER MAKING DAIRY BUILDINGS. 795 



It has been found that when milk or other perishable foods are kept 

 free from bacteria they will not spoil; and, further, that foods of this 

 nature when kept at low temperatures are very much longer in spoiling, 

 although they may contain great numbers of germs. When milk and 

 other products are heated to a high temperature the bacterial life is de- 

 stroyed, and the products will keep for a long time if no additional bacteria 

 gain access to them. 



II. Milking the Cow. 



Things for Milkers to Think About. — Too many milkers regard the 

 work of milking as a dirty, disagreeable task. The work has r&solved itself 

 into nothing more than the manipulation of the udder, and is to be 

 hurried through with as quickly as possible. The element that takes from 

 all drudgery its unpleasantness is wanting. That element is thinking 

 along lines tending to improve the work. In the processes that attend the 

 milking of a cow there is enough to cause the milker to study seriously 

 the work that leads up to the making of a perfect pound of butter. Milk 

 as it is drawn from the udder is nearly free from bacteria. Could it be 

 kept in this condition it would keep for many hours before any perceptible 

 change would take place. 



The first bacteria enter during the time of milking and are naturally 

 from the cow and her surroundings. The manipulation of the udder 

 works off hair, particles of skin, and in many instances particles of manure 

 that adhere to the hair and udder. All of this material finds its way into 

 the milk pail and carries with it great numbers of bacteria. The warm 

 temperature and the presence of a congenial food supply that is in just 

 the right physical condition cause these bacteria to multiply very rapidly, 

 and unless something is done to check their growth souring or other 

 evidence of decomposition will take place in a few houi-s. The rapidity 

 with which these changas occur will depend almost entirely upon the 

 temperature at which the milk is allowed to stand and the number of 

 bacteria that find entrance to it. These facts are constantly in the mind of 

 the careful dairyman. He knows that the first step is that of prevention. 

 The work of milking should be performed in such a way that few bacteria 

 will find their way into the milk. The milk should be cooled quickly and 

 thoroughly immediately after it is drawn, in order to check the growth 

 of those bacteria that will, under the best conditions, find their way into it. 



Cleaning the Cow. — All this leads to the conclusion that the cow must 

 be carefully cleaned. This is as good for her general physical well-being 

 as for the protection and purity of the milk. The card or the currycomb 

 thoroughly but gently applied will remove all cojirse dirt, straw, or other 

 matter clinging to the animal that would eventually find its way into the 

 pail. Aside from carefully cleaning the cow with the card or currycomb, 

 the parts immediately surrounding the udder and the udder itself should 

 be wiped with a damp cloth. This had best be done just before the milking 

 begins, as it will remove most of the dust which may still remain after 

 carding and dampen that which is not removed, so that it will not fall 

 into the milk pail. If the milking is to be done in the barn there are some 



