8 CHEESE MakING. 
concerned, but this does not necessarily hold true as between 
cheese made from whole milk of different fat contents.* 
13. Colostrum Milk. 
The first milk given by a cow directly after parturition is 
ealled colostrum milk, and is much more viscous than normal 
milk, being sometimes as thick as syrup, and usually of a deep 
yellow color. The composition of colostrum milk is different 
from that of normal milk, the albuminoids sometimes amount- 
ing to 15 per cent, and the fat content being generally below 
that of normal milk; the specific gravity of colostrum milk may 
run as high as 1.085. Under the microscope, cells which have 
sealed off from the inside of the udder can be seen floating in 
the milk (‘‘eolostrum bodies’’), and while these are present 
the milk is unfit for cheese. After four or five milkings the 
milk secretion will generally be normal, but the milk should not 
be used for cheese making until a week after freshening. 
14. Curd, 
The curd is the coagulated casein which holds in suspension 
most of the fat, some water, and small portions of albumen, 
milk sugar and ash, plus salt that is added in the process of 
manufacture. Green cheese is about one-third water, as will be 
seen from the following table.+ Green cheese and curd are 
synonymous, for the cheese is simply the curd pressed together. 
COMPOSITION OF GREEN CHEESE, IN PER CENT. 
Water. | Solids. | Solids. Fat. age aoe ake 
36.69 63.51 29.16 34.14 23.44 5.17 
In the above table the sugar, ash, ete., are grouped together. 
Our own analyses showed the ash of cheese to vary from 2.38 
to 3.85 per cent, of which about 2.5 per cent was the na- 
tural ash of the milk, the remainder being salt that was added 
to the curd. Over 40 per cent water makes a poor cheese. 
* Wleventh Report, Wisconsin Experiment Station, p. 143. 
7 Geneva Experiment Station, Bulletin &2. 
