THE PRODUCTS OF THE DAIRY, 195 



As a Pood, skim-milk, though dilute, is, when sweet, 

 a wholesome and nutritious human food. It is also, both 

 in its sweet and sour state, an excellent animal food, 

 and is especially adapted for pigs and calves j though, 

 because of its highly nitrogenous character and narrow 

 nutritive ratio, it should be used in connection with those 

 of a fatty or carbonaceous nature, which will widen the 

 ratio. Skim-milk and flaxseed meal — which is rich in 

 fat — make an excellent and well proportioned ration 

 for young calves; while skim-milk and wheat middlings, 

 or other products showing a high content of digestible 

 carbohydrates and fat, make a good and economical ra- 

 tion for pigs. 



Buttermilk contains the casein and sugar retained in 

 the cream from which butter is made, and such propor- 

 tions of the fat as are not recovered. It differs but little 

 in composition from skim-milk, and has about the same 

 feeding value, though usually containing more fat and 

 casein, and less su^ar ; it is also liable to considerable vari- 

 ation, owing to differences in methods of obtaining the 

 cream and of churning. 



Whey is the residue from the manufacture of cheese. 

 It is more dilute than the other refuse products, and 

 as a food is chiefly valuable for its content of sugar. 



Dairying. — The success and profit of the dairy de- 

 pend upon a number of conditions, which should be 

 carefully considered. The situation in reference to home 

 supplies, which include water, and natural fertility of 

 soil, access to good wholesome foods, location and char- 

 acter of markets, and the relative profitableness of dairy- 

 ing and other lines of farming, should all be carefully 

 studied before entering upon the business. 



