6 BULLETIX 1097, T7. S. DEPAETMEXT OF AGEICULTUKE, 



was spread on the platform underneath the 2 cows remaining in the 

 stable and the doors and windows tightly closed. During the inter- 

 val before milking, the silage odor so permeated the stable air that 

 by the time mdlking was started a decided silage odor was present. 

 It will be noted that the quantity of silage spread out would haye 

 been equivalent to 75 pounds per cow in an air space of approximately 

 500 cubic feet. Table 1 shows the result of the experiment. 



Particular attention is called to the extreme condition of barn-air 

 saturation used in this exj^eriment. This exaggerated condition 

 was obtained for the purpose of ascertaining whether or not the so- 

 called silage flavor and odor might be air-borne to milk under extreme 

 barn conditions. Xo legitimate excuse can be conceived for the pro- 

 duction of milk in a barn without ventilation or with the small 

 amoimt of air space used in this work to determine the above point. 

 Manure was removed once each day and the barn thoroughly aired. 



Table 1. — Effect of milking in stable air saturated with silage odor. 



Eesult of sampling. 



Cows milked in 

 silage atmosphere. 



Check cows milked 

 in open air. 





Milk. 



Cream. 



MUk. 



Cream. 



Number of examinations 



415 



415 



415 



415 







Off flavor 



96 i 103 

 319 ' 312 



51 57 



No ofl flavor 



364 358 



Off odor 



51 



77 

 33S 



19 

 3% 



31 



No off odor 



364 



3.^ 





1 





One of the most interesting points brought out was that although 

 in at least one-fourth of the cases the milk produced by the cows 

 milked in the barn under these extreme conditions took on the off 

 flavors and odors present in the barn air to a sufficient degree to be- 

 come apparent to those looking carefully for them, it certainly did 

 so to a less extent than is commonly supposed. The terms used in 

 describing the off flavors and odors were. " barny," " flat," " slightly 

 off," " off," " slightly strong," and " slight feed." It was observed 

 that flavor and odor in the milk were designated by the matter with 

 which they were associated. The off flavors and odors were found 

 more often in the cream than in the milk. This would indicate that 

 the fat of the milk absorbs off' flavors to a greater degree than the 

 milk plasma. 



T^Tiile off flavors were noted in approximately one-fourth of the 

 cases, a large percentage of these were reported as "barny," " strong," 

 and " off," with but few notations of "slight feed." 



The terms used to describe the odors of the milk produced in the 

 closed stable were the same as those used to describe the flavors, 

 except that the terms " barny " and " musty " were used more often. 



