198 THE CREAMERY PATRON'S HANDBOOK. 



then gradually declines and practically ceases in from six to ten months. 

 If the gland should be examined at birth, a whitish fluid will be found in 

 the ducts, but it is not true milk. True milk may occur however, at a very 

 early date, and without the stimulus of pregnancy. A case as follows came 

 under the notice of the writer. A farmer gave a young calf to his son to feed 

 and care for. The little fellow began going through the motions of milking 

 his pet, and in the course of a few weeks surprised his father by producing 

 a half pint of milk. While this is an exceptional quantity for a young calf, 

 the observation has frequently been made that small quantities will be 

 present in the udders of calves that suckle each other while being weaned. 

 Gabby reports the case of a heifer that had never showed signs of oestrum, 

 suddenly developing a large udder and was milked constantly for three 

 years. 



The male is possessed of a rudimentary mammary gland, but the writer 

 is not aware that it ever develops functional activity under any form of 

 stimulus in the lower animals. 



THE CHARACTERISTICS OF MILK. 



The first secretion of the mammary gland before or immediately after 

 birth, is an acrid, viscous, yellowish fluid, having slightly alkaline reaction 

 and a specific gravity greater than water. It is called colostrum, and 

 immediately precedes the true milk secretion. Colostrum differs from 

 milk in that it contains a higher per cent of total solids, largely of an al- 

 buminoid character, also in the abundance of mineral salts. The albuminoid 

 substance is present in the form of small organized bodies, varying in size' 

 from a small fat globule to five or six times the size of large fat globules, 

 and are known as colostrum corpuscles. These colostrum corpuscles are 

 the cells which have been lying quiescent in the alveoli of the gland. Upon 

 the sudden development of functional activity in the gland, these are 

 swept away. The increased albuminoid content is so marked that it may 

 be detected by simply heating, as well as by the more delicate chemical 

 methods. The fat, the casein and milk sugar are present in less quantity 

 than in normal milk. The taste is slightly acid, the odor strongly animal, 

 and sometimes putrescent. The effect upon the body is as a mild cathartic. 

 The transition from colostrum to milk is gradual, requiring from three to 

 six days. If a cow be milked constantly, no colostrum, or only a slight 

 quantity, will be present, showing that it is the result of the resting of the 

 cells, and not a special product. 



Milk is the normal secretion of the mammary gland. It is a true 

 emulsion, an opaque, bluish white or yellowish white liquid, slightly heavier 

 and more viscous than water, is nearly neutral, possessed of a slight animal 

 odor and a pleasant sweetish taste. 



The odor of milk is due to the extremely small particles of fat, casein 

 and insoluble ash held in suspension. Each species of animal has its peculiar 

 odor, and in addition it may be affected to some degree by the feed. The 

 fat gives a yellowish tint and the casein and ash the opalescent appearance 



