HOW TO PRODUCE CLEAN MILK 173 



only way to get around this difficulty is to milk each cow by hand 

 at frequent intervals, say once a month. Of course, this means 

 extra work and many will not do it. Thus, the use of the milking 

 machine is objectionable because it is wholesale milking. Interest 

 is lost in the individual animal because the owner does not know 

 what she is doing. 



We have covered the common questions about milking machines. 

 In herds of twenty cows or more, it would seem to be economical 

 on a cost basis. We believe that most dairymen will find the milk- 

 ing machine satisfactory. 



285. A special market. — The dairymen who are apparently 

 making the most money are those who are marketing their milk 

 direct to consumers at a high price. Good, clean, cold milk is 

 worth fifteen cents or more per quart and cannot be manufactured 

 and sold in bottles for less and yield a reasonable profit. There are 

 thousands of families in a thousand towns that want clean milk 

 and they are glad to pay fifteen cents a quart for it delivered to 

 them cold in bottles. These special markets can be developed in 

 almost any town of 5000 people or more by dairymen who will go 

 after their customers and give them clean milk. (39) 



286. Four per cent milk wanted. — The milk should be 

 guaranteed at least four per cent butter fat and if the cows do not 

 produce this kind of milk it should be standardized to this per 

 cent by separating some of the milk, using the skimmed milk for 

 feeding calves and pigs and using the cream to bring the balance 

 of the milk to four per cent. It is probable that one will do better 

 in developing a special retail market to choose one of the breeds 

 that will produce a milk testing four per cent or better. Then 

 advertise and push that milk. 



287. Ten thousand bacteria the limit. — In developing a 

 special market, cleanliness is all-important. The clean cow, the 

 clean utensils, the clean stable, the clean wagon, the clean man, 

 and most of all it is the attitude of the man doing the work which 

 keeps the bacteria count down and the milk cold. Clean milk 

 must be delivered with a bacteria count of less than 10,000 to 

 command the price that will make a profit. 



