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of milk and possibly to a slight extent its color. Feeds rich in pro- 

 tein have a tendency to slightly increase the percentage of fat in case 

 of some cows : the same can be said of feeds rich in fat. This 

 increase is [)robably only temporary however, the milk gradually 

 coming back to its normal composition. Animals very thin in flesh, 

 and insufficiently fed, if brought into good condition by proper feed 

 will probably yield milk of rather better quality. The improvement 

 in quality will not as a rule be very marked. The milk producing 

 function is to a large extent under the control of the nervous system. 

 Any influence that disturbs the quiet or normal condition of the 

 animal, be it rough usage, extremes of temperature, exposure to rain, 

 etc., will have its effect upon the quality of the milk. On the other 

 hand, plenty of good feed increases the quantity of the milk until 

 the animal reaches her maximum production. What has been said 

 with regard to the influence of feed upon the quality of milk is 

 equally true, relative to the amount of butter that can be made from 

 a given quantity of milk. No method of feeding has as yet been 

 discovered that so improves the quality of the milk, as to make a 

 given quantity of milk produce more butter at one time than at 

 another. The quality of milk varies during the« ditferent stages of 

 lactation, but this is entirely independent of the influence of feed. 

 The above statements are based on the teachings of carefully con- 

 ducted experiments. They are contrary to the general belief that 

 the better the animal is fed, the better the quality of the milk 

 produced. 



