DAIRY PRODUCTS 201 



the last portions drawn may contain as much as 10 per cent, 

 fat. 



(3) Some breeds, such as Jerseys, Guernseys, and Kerries, 

 give richer milk than other breeds, such as Shorthorns and 

 Ayrshires. Individual cows vary a great deal. Some short- 

 horn cows, fed and housed under the same conditions, will 

 give 2 J per cent, of butter fat and 8 per cent, of non-fatty 

 solids, whilst others of their companions will give 5 per cent, 

 of butter fat and 10 per cent, of non-fatty solids. 



(4) When cows have been fed indifferently, they cannot 

 be expected to give good quality milk, and under these 

 circumstances improvements in the system of feeding will 

 result in a great improvement in the quality of the milk, 

 but there is a limit which is soon reached as regards feeding. 

 Overfeeding does as much harm as underfeeding. With 

 skilful management the maximum of qualit^^ and quantity 

 can be obtained, and beyond this no one can go. 



(5) When milk stands, the cream rises to the surface, 

 especially in hot weather. In some experiments by the 

 author, in hot weather the butter fat in the top portion of 

 a can increased from 3 to 7 per cent, in a quarter of an hour, 

 whilst the bottom portions decreased to 2 per cent. In 

 cold weather, however, a variation of only i per cent, was 

 observed in the same interval of time. 



For the production of milk from plant products in the 

 form of cattle food, it is only on the very best pastures 

 that satisfactory results can be obtained without the use 

 of some of the artificial foods, and during the winter-time 

 artificial foods are always essential. Much can certainly' 

 be done to improve both pastures and hayfields, and, 

 therefore, reduce the consumption of higher-class foods. 

 Swedes, mangolds, or yellow turnips are fed to cows in large 

 amounts. Grass and hay are, of course, of no direct value 

 for human feeding, and mangolds, etc., are not worth much 

 as human food. The cow can be regarded as a machine for 

 the conversion of low-grade food into high-grade food, for 

 which purpose it is more efficient than the fattening beast. 

 Where the situation of a farm is unsuitable for the delivery of 



