118 



Experiments with the Milk of Newly- 

 Calved Cows. 



(Eeprinted from the Journal of the Board of Agriculture, December, 1907.) 



BY DOUGLAS A. GTLCHRIST. 



During the summer of 1907 experiments with the milk of 

 newly-calved cows were made at Offerton Hall. The main 

 object was to ascertain the period after calving at which the 

 milk of newly-calved cows may be sold as normal milk. This 

 work was done at the request of the Board of Agriculture in 

 connection with a question arising out of a prosecution for 

 milk adulteration, the point being whether the liquid known 

 as colostrum could properly be sold as milk. (See Journal of 

 the Board of Agriculture, July, 1906, p. 249.) 



Colostrum and " biestings " are the names usually given 

 to the milk of newly-calved cows. Colostrum has a rich yellow 

 colour and is considerably more viscid than ordinary milk. 

 It is easily coagulated by heat, owing to the large amount of 

 albumen it contains. Only a small amount of albumen is 

 present in milk. Occasionally the colostrum is reddish in 

 colour owing to the presence of blood. 



COW No. 1. CALVED ?TH MAY, 1907. 



First day. 



Morning. Noon. Evening. 



Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. 



Water 78'46 ... 79'46 ... 79'76 



Total solids 21'54 20-54 20'24 



Albumen and casein ... 14'85 ... 13'05 10'37 



Milk sugar 1-81 ... 2'37 2'80 



Ash . 1-13 ... 1-16 ... 1-24 



Nitrogen 2-33 .. 2-05 ] -63 



Specific Gravity 1-0635 ... 1-0577 1'049 



