lOO MAINi; AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. I915. 



COW is thoroughly milked the milk should be removed from the 

 stable at once to a clean milk room where it should be imnie- 

 diately strained. 



KEEPING MILK AT HIGH TEMPERATURE. 



The keeping quality of milk depends to a large extent upon 

 the growth of bacteria after it is drawn. Warm milk forms 

 an excellent medium for the growth and development of bac- 

 teria. Therefore, it is important that milk should be thoroughly 

 cooled while the bacteria content is low. Cooling should be ac- 

 complished immediately after straining, by running it over a 

 cooler filled with cold spring water or ice. If a cooler is not 

 at hand the cooling can be done by setting cans of milk in ice 

 water. If this method is employed the milk should be stirred 

 from time to time to insure that it is cool. If a cooler is used 

 it should be placed in as pure an atmosphere as possible to 

 prevent contamination. The temperature of new milk should 

 be reduced to at least 60° F. in order to retard the growth of 

 bacteria commonly found in milk. It is not only essential to 

 reduce milk to this temperature, but also to hold it at this low 

 temperature until delivered to the consumer. 



After milk has been delivered it belongs to the consumer 

 and even if it has been produced under the best of conditions, 

 its keeping quality from then on depends largely upon its treat- 

 ment by the consumer. Milk should not be left on the door 

 steps where the sun will raise its temperature to the point 

 where bacterial growth is greatest, from 70° to 90° F. This 

 high temperature may even sour milk in a few hours. The 

 milk should be removed from the sun at once and placed in a 

 refrigerator where its low temperature may be maintained. 



