56 Dairy Bacteriology. 



The peculiar "cowy " or "animal odor" of fresh milk is 

 an inherent peculiarity that is due to the direct absorption 

 of volatile elements from the animal herself. This condi- 

 tion is very much exaggerated when the animal consumes 

 strong-flavored substances as garlic, leeks, turnips and cab- 

 bage. The volatile substances that give to these vegetables 

 their characteristic odor are quickly diffused through the 

 system, and if such foods are consumed some few hours be- 

 fore milking, the odor in the milk will be most pronounced. 

 The intensity of such taints is diminished greatly and 

 often wholly disappears, if the milking is not done for some 

 hours (8-12) after such foods are consumed. 



This same principle applies in lesser degree to mary 

 green fodders that are more suitable as feed for animals, as 

 silage, green rye, rape, etc. Not infrequently, such fodders 

 as these produce so strong a taint in milk as to render it 

 useless for human use. Troubles from such sources could 

 be entirely obviated by feeding limited quantities of such 

 material immediately after milking. Under such condi- 

 tions the taint produced is usually eliminated before the 

 next milking. The milk of swill-fed cows is said to possess 

 a peculiar taste, and the urine of animals fed on this food 

 is said to be abnormally acid. Brewers' grains and distil- 

 lery slops when fed in excess also induce a similar condi- 

 tion in the milk. 



Milk may also acquire other than volatile substances di- 

 rectly from the animal, as in cases where drugs, as bella- 

 donna, castor oil, sulfur, turpentine, jalap, croton oil, 

 and many others have been used as medicine. Such min- 

 eral poisons as arsenic have been known to appear eight 

 hours after ingestion, and persist for a period of three 

 weeks before being eliminated. 



