cows THAT ARE MILKED BY HAND 2O3 



it is taken to the milk room. These taints may come 

 from within the stables, as, for instance, from odors in 

 the droppings and urine ; from without, as, for instance, 

 from a hog house too near at hand; or from succulent 

 food, as ensilage or field roots in decay. These taints 

 once in the milk adhere to it, and, when pronounced, 

 afifect the quality of the products made from the milk, as, 

 for instance, butter. This may also come from feeding 

 freely such foods as rutabagas and rape. 



The aim should be to protect the milk from such 

 odors rather than to try to remove them when imbibed. 

 When they come from within, such protection is af- 

 forded by having earth or concrete floors in the stables, 

 by promptly removing the droppings as far as this may 

 be practicable, and by using suitable absorbents. When 

 they come from without or from decaying foods, the 

 removal of the cause will anticipate the effect. When 

 taint in milk comes from food, the food must be modi- 

 fied. (See page 265.) 



All kinds of wood used in floors, especially in the 

 construction of the gutters for the reception of the 

 voidings, imbibe some of the liquids and in turn give off' 

 an odor that is more or less offensive, hence the advan- 

 tage of making these cement, which has the further 

 advantage of resisting deca 



The degree to which hurtful odors are given off by 

 the droppings is much influenced by the character of 

 the feeding. When the digestion is not forced in a 

 healthy animal, the odor from fresh voidings is not 

 very offensive, but it is different when the feeding of 

 concentrates is beyond the capacity of the cow to prop- 

 erly digest the same. Should the droppings remain long 

 in the stables, in the absence of absorbents, odors arise, 

 especially from changes in the urine which make it of- 

 fensive. The more promptly the urine is absorbed and 

 removed, the less odor will be present. In this is found 



