284 MILK 



That movement of the cow during the milking process may 

 increase the germ content of the milk is shown in a statement 

 made by Lohnis. The milk under investigation contained 23,- 

 800 bacteria per cubic centimeter, but when the milker touched 

 the animal and caused her to move the number rose to 900,000. 

 The same cow, when thoroughly curried, gave milk with but 

 7000 bacteria per cubic centimeter. 



By cleaning the udder Schulz was able to reduce the bacterial 

 content of milk from 1,500,000-1,900,000 to 22,000-33,000 per 

 cubic centimeter. Russell obtained from a clean, moist udder 

 milk with 115 bacteria per cubic centimeter, while from the 

 same udder not cleaned the germ content of the milk was 

 3250 per cubic centimeter. Similarly, Harrison counted 640 to 

 2350 bacteria per cubic centimeter of milk from a clean udder, 

 against 9845 to 17,155 from a dirty udder. In a series of thirteen 

 tests Stocking enumerated an average of 716 bacteria per cubic 

 centimeter when the udder was wiped with a damp cloth, and 

 6342 bacteria per cubic centimeter when the udder was not wiped. 

 Lohnis recommends cleaning the udder by rubbing it dry and then 

 smearing it with grease or vaselin, so as to cause the dust par- 

 ticles to adhere. In the best dairies in this country the udder is 

 washed previous to milking with a damp cloth and allowed to re- 

 main moist. Care must be taken, however, not to permit enough 

 water to remain on the udder to cause drops to fall into the milk. 



A method to protect the milk from droppings from the udder 

 was devised by Backhaus, and is known as the "Nutricia" method. 

 A bag of water-proof material is tied on the udder and filled with 

 boric acid solution. The antiseptic solution is brought in intimate 

 contact with the skin by pressure against the bag. After a few 

 minutes the solution is drained off through a cock and the bag 

 filled with boiled water. Milking is then commenced, the teats 

 protruding through holes in the bag provided for this purpose. 

 The results have not proved that this method is advantageous as 

 far as bacterial numbers go and the manipulation is rather cumber- 

 some. Lohnis obtained the following counts by the use of the 

 Backhaus bag and by ordinary washing of the udder: With the 

 bag 800 to 49,500 bacteria per cubic centimeter; with ordinary 

 washing, 4500 to 29,380 per cubic centimeter. 



The evidence in favor of thorough cleaning of the udder be- 

 fore milking is strong, and as this manipulation requires but little 

 time and labor it should be practised in all dairies. 



It is usually thought that clipping the hair on the udders and 

 flanks is a necessary procedure for producing milk with a low 

 germ content. This practice is assuredly a help in keeping the 

 udder clean, but whether it reduces the germ content is questioned 



