374 CATTLE AND DAIRY FARMING. 



MILKING QUALITIES OF BELGIAN COWS. 



I might content myself with giving results, but many farmers and 

 dairymen would desire the formula, may be for their satisfaction, may 

 be for their use. 



The cows were divided, by numbers, into groups, and one or more 

 members of the jury assigned to each group, so as to give his personal 

 attendance and supervision, whenever anything was to be done. 



The exhibition lasted four days. At six o'clock of the evening of the 

 third day, at a given signal, each cow was milked clean and dry, pre- 

 paratory to the test of the morrow. 



The hours for milking were first fixed for 6 o'clock a. m., 12 m., and G 

 p. m., but some complaints were made that the cows would not be able 

 to hold their milk for twelve hours, and the first milking was advanced to 

 4 o'clock a. in. Every owner provided his own milkers, with whom his 

 cows were acquainted. 



The milk being taken from the cows was weighed, not measured, this 

 being considered more accurate each one separate, of course and after 

 being thoroughly stirred, samples were taken for tests of cream and for 

 specific gravity, and the rest returned to the owner for his use. 

 " The samples for cream were then examined, each one being made the 

 same quantity and height in the glass, and being immersed to the neck 

 in a large pan of ice-cold water, were set aside for the cream to rise. All 

 samples were subjected to exactly the same treatment under the same 

 conditions. 



Many methods and machines, scientific and otherwise, for determining 

 the quantity of cream were considered, but none were believed to be so 

 fair and equal as this. 



Such was thy treatment after each milking, and at every step an accu- 

 rate record was made by the member of the jury in charge. 



ihe specific gravity was taken at 15 centigrade, 58J Fahrenheit. 

 The samples for cream were allowed to remain until the next morning 

 at 9 o'clock ; so the duration of their stay was twenty -six, eighteen, and 

 twelve hours, respectively. The water in the pan then marked 12 C., 

 53 F. 



The samples being taken out, the height of the cream was accurately 

 measured and weighed, and all recorded on blank forms prepared for 

 the purpose. The result will be given further on. (See Table No. 3.) 



Butter is the principal product from within this province, and there- 

 fore the interesting question was, which cow's milk would have the most 

 cream and consequently be the richest in its butter-making qualities. 



The amount of milk and of cream given by each cow for one day being 

 determined, that would determine the relative value of the cows in these 

 regards on that day. But these cows may have been giving milk for 

 different periods ; one cow calved one month, and another six months 

 previous j then the conditions will have been so changed that the amount 

 of milk or cream given on that day is no true test. And this change of 

 condition is inevitable unless all the cows could be induced to calve on 

 the same day. As this could not probably be done, and would not be 

 desired if it could, some arrangement must be made by which this dif- 

 ference can be equalized. 



This was done by the adoption of a table of experiments and tests, 

 made and prepared during the past two years by Mr. Tisdall, of the 

 Holland Park and Horton dairy farms in England, at the request of the 

 Dairy Association of Great Britain, and used at its great exhibition in 

 188<K. (Agricultural Gazette, February 21, 1881. Table No. 1.) 



