112 EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



23. An excess of linseed oil (1.4 pounds digestible oil per 

 head daily) produced a very soft, salvy butter, with an in- 

 ferior flavor. 



24. The addition of cotton-seed oil (.5 pound per head 

 daily) to a normal ration, or to one containing 3 pounds of 

 cotton-seed meal low in oil, produced a softer, more yielding 

 butter than that produced by the ration with the oil omitted. 



25. The addition of corn oil (.6 pound daily per head) to a 

 normal ration containing 2 pounds of corn gluten meal low in 

 oil produced a noticeably softer butter than when the oil was 

 omitted. 



26. Com meed tended to produce a reasonably hard, firm 

 butter, of an agreeable flavor. 



27. Soybean oil (.5 to 1 pound daily per head) added to a 

 grain ration produced a butter that was noticeably soft and } r ield- 

 ing to the touch, and that would not stand up well at 70° F. 

 and above. 



The experiments thus far completed enable one to draw the 

 following general conclusions : — 



1. Neither the proteid nor the carbohydrate groups, when 

 fed in normal amount, have any noticeable influence in chang- 

 ing the proportions of the several milk ingredients, nor in modi- 

 fying to any marked degree the character of the butter fat as 

 revealed by the ordinary chemical tests ; such changes, so far 

 as they are the result of food, are due to the presence of oil in 

 the feed stuff. 



2. Some proteids produce a harder, firmer butter than others, 

 while the tendency of starchy foods is to produce a firm-bodied 

 butter. Vegetable oils in excess of the normal amount produce 

 a noticeably soft-bodied butter. 



3. It is not considered advisable to feed large quantities of 

 oil to cows, it having a tendency to derange the digestive and 

 milk-secreting organs. 



4. The flavor of butter depends primarily on the cleanliness 

 of the milk, stage of lactation of the animal, skill and care of 

 the butter maker, and especially upon the character of the 

 starter employed. Normal feed stuffs must be considered of 

 secondary importance in establishing butter flavor. 



