224 DOMESTIC ANIMALS, DAIRYING, ETC. 



are thoroughly boiled in a special room before they come to the 

 dairy proper. They are then subjected to the same cleansing process 

 as all the others. 



The Production of Certified Milk. The number of cows in 

 herds producing certified milk varies from 25 to 500. Practically 

 every breed is represented in some of these herds, and some grade 

 or native stock is found in two-thirds of them. There are several 

 herds of registered animals. The breed is not considered of special 

 importance with most of the commissions, provided the composition 

 of the milk produced is within the limits of the standard prescribed. 

 The health of the animals and cleanliness of the surroundings and 

 product are the most important elements in production. The pro- 

 duction of the different herds ranges from 225 to 5,000 quarts daily 

 (though the milk from the largest herd is not all certified). The 

 butterfat in the milk as reported varies from 3.6 to 6.5 per cent 

 and averages about 4.69 per cent. 



Bacteria in the Milk. The number of bacteria in the milk, as 

 reported by the dairymen, varies all the way from 200 to 10,000 per 

 cubic centimeter. One has an average of 3,317 for 43 weeks ; another 

 reports a count of below 1,000 for one year and an average of 150 

 for 15 successive weeks from samples taken at random in the city. 



Cleaning and Disinfecting Stables. It is the general practice 

 in certified dairies to remove the manure at least twice daily to the 

 field, or to a suitable pit some distance from the stable. In the most 

 carefully managed dairies the whole interior of the stable is washed 

 and scrubbed daily with water containing a washing compound. 

 Some use a disinfectant in the water once or twice a week, as bichlorid 

 of mercury, carbolic acid, or permanganate of potash. Bichlorid 

 of mercury is probably the most expensive of any of the dis- 

 infectants; aside from this fact it is one of the most satisfactory be- 

 cause it gives off no odor. One dairyman uses cresol in water daily. 

 Where the interior of the stable is built of wood, it is whitewashed 

 from two to twelve times annually, or kept well painted. Land 

 plaster is the most common disinfectant for floors and gutters. 

 Slacked lime is also satisfactory for this purpose. Shavings are most 

 in favor for bedding. Some dairymen do not use any bedding, but 

 this system is not recommended. 



Cleaning and Treatment of Cows. The cows are cleaned daily 

 with currycomb and brush. The udder and parts in proximity to 

 it are either washed and wiped with a clean towel, or are wiped with 

 a damp cloth or sponge. In many cases the udder, flanks, etc., are 

 clipped periodically. Occasionally a dairyman sprays stables and 

 cows immediately before milking. It is a common practice to fasten 

 up the cows after they have been cleaned, in such a w r ay that they 

 can not lie down till they have been milked. 



In a few dairies where extraordinary care is .used, the whole 

 body of the cow is groomed an hour or more before each milking, 

 and any soiled parts are scrubbed with a brush and water containing 

 a washing compound ; the entire body is bathed from the neck back ; 

 the tail is washed ; the udder is washed in sterile water from a sterile 



