474 



FARMER'S CYCLOPEDIA OF LIVE STOCK 



Milking machines have not been used as 

 much in this country as in Europe, and 

 the reports from their use have not been 

 so favorable. In some instances, it has 

 been claimed that the milk yield was 

 slightly diminished when milking ma- 

 chines were used. Eecent experiments 

 by Lane and Erf indicate that milking 

 machines are quite satisfactory if kept 

 scrupulously clean. 



Improvement of dairy conditions — 

 The inspection of dairies which furnish 

 milk for public use indicates clearly that 

 in many cases there is room for improve- 



from chemical preservatives, such as bo- 

 rax, formalin, salicylic acid or carbon- 

 ate of soda. Bacteriologically pure milk 

 should contain less than 10,000 bacteria 

 per cubic centimeter and must be strictly 

 free from disease germs or bacteria 

 which produce gas and pus. As com- 

 pared with this standard, an inspection 

 of the samples of market milk offered 

 for sale in the District of Columbia, 

 showed that only 21 out of 117 samples 

 contained less than 10,000 bacteria per 

 cubic centimeter, while some showed 

 more bacteria than the sewage water of 



Fig. 303 — MODERN MILK MAIDS WITH COVERED PAILS 



ment. It has become necessary to estab- 

 lish a standard of purity and quality of 

 market milk. Pure market milk, as 

 stated by Kober and others, should be 

 mechanically, chemically and bacterio- 

 logically pure. In other words, mar- 

 ket milk should be free from dirt and 

 should show its proper percentage of 

 fat without the removal of cream, or the 

 addition of water or skim milk. The 

 amount of total solids should be 12.5 

 per cent and the fat at least 3.5 per cent. 

 Moreover, chemically pure milk must 

 contain all of its normal constituents 

 and must be free from pus, toxins, 

 ptomains, leucomains and disagreeable 

 odors and flavors. It must also be free 



the city. The diseases which may be 

 carried by milk have already been 

 referred to under the head of Milk In- 

 spection. 



Dairy sanitation — In order to obtain 

 sanitary milk, a number of sanitary re- 

 quirements must be met. These re- 

 quirements may be briefly mentioned in 

 this connection: The milk should not be 

 used for food until five days after calv- 

 ing; the ration for milk cows should not 

 contain materials which impart a bad 

 odor or flavor to the milk ; stables should 

 be thoroughly cleaned at frequent inter- 

 vals, so as to contain no sour food or 

 manure which might taint the milk by 

 their odors; the udders must be washed 



