212 MANUAL OF FARM ANIMALS 



Food and flavor of milk. — It is definitely known that certain 

 foods, especially if fed in large quantities, impart bad odors to 

 the milk. Chief among the foods producing such deleterious 

 effects are cabbage, turnips, onions, silage, wild leeks, and the 

 like. It is held that such odors may be imparted to the milk in 

 two ways : First, by transference through the animal, and 

 second, by absorption from the air of the stable. Concerning 

 many of these points we have little definite evidence, and 

 there is great difference of opinion as to what odors are absorbed 

 from the air and what are transferred through the animal. 

 There can be little doubt, however, but that the feeding of certain 

 foods before milking imparts certain flavors to the milk, and that 

 such flavors are not detected when the food is given after milk- 

 ing. It is advised particularly that silage be not fed just be- 

 fore milking. 



Order of supplying food. — Because of the supposed ill effect 

 of some foods in giving odors to the milk, the order of supplying 

 certain of these foods assumes much importance. In the case 

 of cabbage, turnips, and the like, it is perhaps best that they be 

 fed after milking. In the case of hay, which is likely to contain 

 more or less dust, it is perhaps best to feed this after milking 

 also, and in either of these cases it would necessitate the feeding 

 of grain first. Perhaps the ideal way, when the food is of such 

 a nature to permit, is to feed the grain and succulent food to- 

 gether, sprinkling the grain over the succulent food, and then 

 when these are both cleaned up, to feed the hay. A good order 

 for the day's work is as follows : In the morning milk first, then 

 feed grain, then silage, clean stable, water, feed hay, groom the 

 animals, then on pleasant days turn out for an hour or so. In 

 the afternoon water, clean stables, feed grain, milk, feed silage, 

 arrange bedding, and lastly feed some long hay. SuflBcient 

 attention is not given to the day's program, in the dairy 

 business. 



Effect of food on quantity of milk. — Occasionally the state- 



