178 



DAIRY CATTLE AND MILK PRODUCTION 



the cow. The poor results which have so often followed the 

 feeding of skim milk have been due to the faulty methods, 

 and not to the fact that the cream which has been taken out 

 is absolutely indispensable to the normal development of the 

 calf. 



The following table shows the average composition of whole 

 milk and separator skim milk : 



It will be observed that the skim milk differs from the whole 

 milk only in having most of the fat removed. The other con- 

 stituents are slightly increased. The butter fat or cream is 

 by no means the most valuable part of the milk for the calf. 

 The fat does not go to form growth in a young animal, but 

 to keep up the heat of the body and to supply fat for body 

 tissue. The same material can be supplied much cheaper 

 in the form of corn meal or other grain. The raising of the 

 calf on skim milk is economical, because it is possible to make 

 this substitution of a comparatively cheap grain for butter 

 fat which has a commercial value for human food out of pro- 

 portion to its food value for a calf. The parts of the milk 

 which furnish the growth-making material are the casein 

 and albumin, the former of which is seen as a white curd when 

 milk is soured. From this material is made the muscles and 



