UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



BULLETIN No. 1097 f 



^-u^'^^^u 



Washington, D. C. 



September 20, 1922 



THE EFFECT OF SILAGE ON THE FLAVOR AND 

 ODOR OF MILK. 



By James A. Gamble, Professor of Dairy Husbandry, University of Maryland, 

 collaborator, and Eenest Kelly, in charge of Market Milk Investigations, 

 Dairy Division, Bureau of Animal Industry. 



CONTENTS. 



Page. 



Causes of taints in milk 1 



Description of methods used in ex- 

 perimental work 2 



The feeding of silage 5 



Experiments with corn silage 5 



Effect of condensing on silage- 

 flavored milk 13 



Feeding spoiled silage 13 



Discussion of corn-silage experi- 

 ments 14 



Page. 



Experiments with alfalfa silage 15 



Experiments with sweet-clover silage 17 



Experiments with soy-bean silage 19 



Discussion of legume-silage experi- 

 ments 21 



Part played by aeration in reducing 



silage flavors and odors 21 



Good flavors and odors in milk 22 



Conclusions 23 



Literature cited * 28 



CAUSES OF TAINTS IN MILK. 



Cow's milk invariably has a more or less pronounced flavor and 

 odor, but comparatively little is known concerning the substances 

 contributing to these characteristics. The flavors vary from those 

 that are pleasing to the taste to others which make the milk objection- 

 able and unpalatable. It has been observed by several investigators 

 that regardless of the feeds used and care taken, each cow imparts 

 to her milk a more or less pronounced individual taste. In a row of 

 cows receiving the same feed and care, the authors have observed 

 bitter, strong, salty, and flat milk as well as that having a very pleas- 

 ing flavor. Several of these if sold alone would have been rejected 



Note. — The authors acknowledge their indebtedness to T. E. Woodward, of the Dairy 

 Division ; also to W. R. Hale, J. B. McNulty, and J. A. Converse, who made the work 

 possible through their supervision of the experimental barn. They also extend their 

 thanks to R. J. Posson, C. J. Babcock, and all other members of the Dairy Division and 

 University of Maryland staffs who assisted in passing upon the many samples of milk 

 and cream taken for this work. 

 108550°— 22 1 



