EFFECT OF SILAGE ON FLAVOR AND ODOR OF MILK, 5 



were examined by men in the Dairy Division of the United States 

 Department of Agriculture and members of the Dairy Husbandry 

 Department of the University of Maryland. 



METHOD OF EXAMINATION. 



Flavors and odors are more apparent when the milk is at body tem- 

 perature. For this reason all samples, before being submitted to the 

 different judges, were heated in a water bath to about body temper- 

 ature. 



Some flavors and odors, because of familiarity, are quickly recog- 

 nized by some people, and because of unfamiliarity may not be so 

 quickly recognized by others. Standard samples of silage-flavored 

 milk were provided to supply this information. When the portions 

 were warmed and ready for examination, the sample containing the 

 known silage flavor and odor was passed around and examined, so 

 that the different men might have a measure for determining whether 

 or not any of the other samples contained a silage flavor or a silage 

 odor or both. Each man was furnished with slips upon which to 

 record the flavor and odor in the different samples submitted to him. 

 At the end of each phase of the work, the information on these 

 slips, when compared to the key containing the history of each sam- 

 ple, furnished a basis for conclusions. 



THE FEEDING OF SILAGE. 



Ever since silage came into use as a feed for dairy cattle more or 

 less controversy has taken place regarding its effect on the flavor 

 and odor of the milk produced. It has frequently been said that 

 the feeding of silage to milking cows gives rise to disagreeable 

 flavors and odors. So much has appeared on the subject that health 

 authorities in some cities have incorporated in their city milk laws 

 regulations relating to the handling and sale of milk produced by 

 cows fed silage. 



EXPERIMENTS WITH CORN SILAGE. 



During the first three weeks that the cows were in the specially 

 constructed barn experiments were carried on for the purpose of 

 determining the combination of concentrates and roughage for a 

 basic ration which would not interfere with the flavor and odor of 

 the milk normally produced by the cows selected for the work. 

 When this combination had been obtained the barn and the cows 

 were carefully cleaned. 



1. EFFECT OF CORN-SILAGE ATMOSPHERE ON FLAVOR AND ODOR OF MILK. 



On alternate days 2 cows were removed to the outside one hour 

 before milking and 150 pounds of corn silage, fresh from the silo, 



